Ruto Direct TSC, Unions to Fast-Track Teachers’ Pay Rise talks
President William Ruto has urged for swift negotiations concerning salary hikes for teachers.
Ruto called on both the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and union representatives to come to a speedy agreement.
The proposal for a pay increase from the Teachers Service CommissionTeachers Service Commission (TSC) was rejected by the teachers’ unions.
Acknowledging the ongoing discussions between TSC and teacher representatives, Ruto emphasized the need to expedite the negotiations.
He highlighted the government’s dedication to allocate resources for enhancing teachers’ compensation packages.
Ruto delivered these comments during the Kenya Music Festival Winners’ Concert held at State House, Nakuru.
This came a day after teacher unions declined the 2.4% proposal for higher job groups and the 9.5% proposal for lower job groups, asserting that it didn’t align with the recommendations of the President and the Salaries Remuneration Commission (SRC).
Negotiations between TSC and teachers’ unions hit an impasse as the unions turned down the employer’s offer ranging between 2.4% and 9.5%.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) set a deadline of Monday for TSC to present an improved proposal.
The general secretary of Kuppet criticized the employer’s move as “deceitful” after originally asking for a 30 to 70 percent pay increase. He noted that TSC’s proposal fell short of the presidential announcement and the SRC’s recommendation of 7 to 10 percent.
Meanwhile, Collins Oyuu, the general secretary of Knut who had initially demanded a 60% increase across all grades, seemed content with the proposed 2.4% to 9.5% increase due to the way it would be distributed.
“KNUT finds 2.5–9.5% acceptable. The highest earners receive 2.4%, while the lowest get 9.5%. There’s been no reduction; it wouldn’t be accurate to say TSC has offered a smaller amount of money.”
Ruto Direct TSC, Unions to Fast-Track Teachers’ Pay Rise talks
