The 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) talks between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and teachers’ unions reveals cracks of disagreement and signs of striking.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), which was earlier opposed to any CBA without monetary profits as offered by the teachers’ employer, is now changing its tone and hinting a probability of having an agreement with a condition that the suspension barely lasts 2 years.
The next meeting between the commission and the unions has been scheduled for July 13theven as pressure continues to pile to sign a deal without financial gains.
During their meeting on June 29, TSC had stated it would not engage in a CBA talk that is centred on money gains. The new KNUT secretary-general Collins Oyuu yesterday on Sunday said that he was prepared to get into an agreement with TSC on a two-year term contract that captures all other aspects of terms and later a different agreement on monetary gains would follow.
“SRC has suspended the review of salaries and teachers are not exceptional but must agree with the TSC that teachers’ salaries will be reviewed immediately after the lapse of the suspension period depending on the country’s economic perfor-mance,” said Mr Oyuu.
Time, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Executive Secretary at Nairobi branch Moses Mbora has asked the national office to follow suit.
Kuppet secretary-general Akello Misori had previously declared that they were unwilling to take a CBA that lacks salary increases for teachers. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) froze the review of salary structure and benefits for all public servants as recommended by the National Treasury.
The unions earlier said that teachers demanded nothing short of salary increase considering inflation and the burdens that come with the teacher shortage and the increased workload under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
TSC had offered a promotion of teachers in arid and semi-arid land (ASAL) and hardship regions, enhanced package on paternity leave of 21 days and maternity leave to three months and with full pays.
The proposal also included transfers of couples to teach in schools that are near each other.
‘We are looking at a CBA that does not break families. Let us not only concentrate on the financial gains because the CM has so many aspects.” said KNUT Secretary Oyuu.
The new CM seeks to recognise classroom teachers who had been ignored in the last CBA despite the role they play in the implementation of the CBC.
The unions want a 4-year agreement that focuses mainly on the true worth of teachers even as the country is shifting to an education system that reduces them to more workload.
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