University staff set to issue seven-day strike
Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary-General Wilson Sossion (left) with Kenya University Staff Union Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya during a press conference in Nairobi on January 8, 2017. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Universities Staff Academic Union (Uasu) and Kenya university staff union (Kusu) said the government was not committed to the talks.
- Dr Mukhwaya said they will only reconsider their position if the government offers them a counter proposal insisting that they are not ready to be taken around corners.
Learning in public universities is set to be paralysed after talks between workers and the management collapsed on Wednesday.
Universities Staff Academic Union (Uasu) and Kenya university staff union (Kusu) said the government was not committed to the talks.
“We held a meeting today with a team of negotiators led by University of Nairobi Deputy Vice-chancellor Isaac Mbeche. Unfortunately they came without any counter proposal. We cannot engage them anymore and on Thursday, we are officially going to issue a seven-day strike notice,” said Kusu Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya.
He said their focus was to restructure payment structures in universities moving away from a per cent increase demand.
“We are focused on a harmonised structure since we have a lot of injustices where a senior lecturer in some cases earn less than a lecturer,” said Dr Mukhwaya.
Prof Mbeche had been appointed by public universities to lead the talks.
Dr Mukhwaya said they will only reconsider their position if the government offers them a counter proposal insisting that they are not ready to be taken around corners.
