Teachers’ Unions Issue Strike Notice Over Unmet Demands and Budget Cuts
Two unions have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Teachers Service Commission to address six pressing issues or face a strike starting August 26.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) highlighted worsening work conditions due to the commission’s alleged backtracking on prior agreements.
The unions insist on the full implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) or will initiate industrial action.
“Kuppet and Knut have united today to demand immediate resolution of six issues causing unrest among our members,” the unions stated jointly.
They accused the TSC of violating the agreement by not implementing the second phase of the Addendum from July 1, 2024, covering basic salaries and allowances for all teachers.
“The existing collective bargaining agreements between the unions and the Teachers Service Commission, signed in June 2021 and amended in August 2023, hold legal authority, having been registered at the Employment and Labour Relations Court as per the Industrial Charter, the Constitution of Kenya, and relevant laws,” they said.
The unions also called for the conversion of Junior Secondary School teachers and new employment terms.
They are demanding immediate permanent and pensionable status for all current intern teachers effective July 1, with full salary payments for the month.
“We also demand the hiring of 20,000 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms to address the significant shortfall in Junior Secondary Schools,” they added.
The government slashed the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) recurrent budget by Sh10.2 billion.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, in a May 2024 appearance before the Departmental Committee on Education, reported a reduction of 10,281,147,858 in the overall recurrent budget of the commission.
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Macharia indicated that this budget cut would delay the second phase of the 2021-2025 CBA between TSC and the teacher unions, which had a Sh10 billion allocation.
Committee chair Julius Melly noted in a report that this could lead to strikes, disruptions in public schools, and court litigations.
“This means teachers will not receive the salary increments outlined in the CBA,” he stated.
“Industrial unrest is a challenge the government may not want to confront now, given the current unease in the country. Therefore, ensuring this allocation is critical,” the committee advised.
Kuppet and Knut are also demanding the promotion of 130,000 teachers who have been stagnant in their current grades.
“These teachers were shortlisted and interviewed for new grades in 2023 but were not appointed due to a lack of budget for promotions,” the unions said.
Regarding teachers’ medical coverage, the unions said members are in a dire situation, struggling to access healthcare services.
“The unions are troubled by the Sh11,889,413,833 reduction in the Appropriations Act for teachers’ medical cover, cutting benefits by 50%,” they added.
They also criticized the non-remittance of loans and National Social Security Fund deductions from teachers’ salaries.
Additionally, the unions demanded a commitment to a new CBA. “With less than a year to the end of the 2021-2025 CBA, the commission is stalling on the new CBA negotiations,” they stated.
Teachers’ Unions Issue Strike Notice Over Unmet Demands and Budget Cuts
