Lecturers' strike to continue as Uasu rejects govt deal

Learning in 31 public universities will continue to be paralysed after the lecturers' union rejected the government's salary offer.

The Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) on Monday dismissed the 1.75 per cent basic salary increase for four years and zero per cent raise on house allowance deal.

The counter-offer that was tabled by the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPCCF) negotiating team chairman Isaac Mbeche further indicates that lecturers will get an annual basic salary increment of 0.435 per cent.

"Following a careful review and examination of IPUCCF’s document, Uasu considers the latest document as not a counter-proposal at all; Uasu categorically rejects it, and would like to draw your attention to the following: The document ignores and does not address the issues in the 2017-2021 CBA proposal," Uasu Secretary General Constantine Wasonga said.

SALARY

The lecturers have now asked the Labour ministry conciliator to issue the parties with a certificate of disagreement, and refer the matter to the Employment and Labour Relations Court for determination.

The Uasu leadership is set to meet on Wednesday to escalate the strike.

Currently, the highest paid professor takes home Sh248,898 while the least paid academic staff – an assistant lecturer – earns Sh82,037.

Uasu wants the lowest paid lecturer to earn Sh195,000 and highest to take home Sh1 million.

On mortgages and car loans, the proposal states that individual university councils will negotiate with their respective Uasu chapters.

"Other terms and conditions of service currently in force as agreed by the respective councils shall remain unchanged except where circumstances allow individual councils to harmonize or improve the same," the counter-offer document adds.

NEGOTIATION

It further states that individual university councils and their Uasu chapters will initiate and conclude structured negotiations on other terms and conditions of service.

"The agreement shall be effective from July 1, 2017 and shall remain in force for a period of four years. It shall continue to be in force thereafter until it is amended by mutual agreement between the two parties.

"Any party intending to amend this agreement shall give the other party one month’s written notice and details of the amendment required."