KNUT Issues 14-Day Notice To TSC over CBA Implementation
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) gave the employer 14 days to evaluate the 2021 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
Due to financial issues caused by the rising cost of living, the teachers’ union asks the TSC to reconsider the CBA.
Teachers expect a July pay boost. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) announced a 7% rise for teachers in July.
However, Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu thinks pay should be examined to cushion staff after the Finance Act 2023 raised the cost of living.
The union wants the commission to evaluate the non-monetary CBA to account for their lower earnings due to statutory deductions and new taxes like the affordable housing tax.
KNUT Issues 14-Day Notice To TSC over CBA Implementation
We applaud TSC’s 2023-2027 strategy plan. Mr. Oyuu said, “The over Sh70 billion to be used by TSC in rolling out the strategic plan is very welcome as it was clearly stated that it will be used in other areas apart from teachers’ salaries.” Knut was ready to push TSC to the table to include teachers’ salaries in the strategic plan.
“Earlier, TSC proposed Sh2 billion for teachers’ allowances, which is welcome, but the National Treasury reduced it to Sh1 billion. “We want our TSC to sit with us and reopen negotiations,” he said.
In 2021, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) stopped Knut from negotiating a salary, Mr. Oyuu said.
We’re out since it lifted the negotiation caveat. We wrote to the TSC and gave them 14 days to bring us to the table so we may evaluate the non-monetary CBA we signed in 2021. We mustn’t forget that this country’s economic position is so bad that we have to sit again to feed the teachers.”
The union leader stated well-paid teachers are effective.
“Underpaid teachers cannot perform. “If the government wants performance, we will reopen the salary component negotiations we missed in 2021,” he stated.
The Dock Workers Union (DWU) wanted wage hikes to back President William Ruto’s housing initiative weeks before the teachers’ ultimatum.
DWU Secretary-General Simon Sang said the union, which has over 5,000 members, will only accept housing levy deductions if their company raises salaries.
