The Kenya National Union of Teachers KNUT has dismissed calls by competitor union KUPPET to withdraw Court Cases against TSC.
In a letter dated 26th Jan 2021, and written to National Chairman of KUPPET — Hon. Omboko Milemba who is also the Member of Parliament for Emuhaya Constituency, KNUT states that purported intervention by KUPPET to lead the negotiation table is a mockery and an attack on behalf of the union.
“This is a total mockery of KNUT that is under Labour Attack from TSC using KUPPET as one of the tools of attack.” Said Sossion in a statement.
KNUT further accused KUPPET of accepting the transfer of KNUT’s 43,000 members with effect from the payroll of September 2019 to be made memberless and subjected to the agency fee amounting to millions of shillings.
In a shocking revelation, KNUT stated that their conducted investigation shows that the agency fee which was wired to KUPPET is shared as pocket money between officials of KUPPET and TSC.
“Ironically, quite a number of our members who are KNUT officials are being levied agency fee in favour of your Union together with the majority of the 43,000 teachers in post-primary who are KNUT members.” Read part of Sossion’s statement.
“If you are a reasonable Labour Leader, you should have renounced the transfer of KNUT members and returned over 30 million shillings per month with respect to the members of KNUT to the National Treasurer. Continued Sossion.”
Agency Fee
KNUT also said that KUPPET’s agency fee was gazetted with the aid of TSC on 7th of May, 2018 while that of KNUT was struck off by TSC and is not gazetted to date yet KUPPET never negotiated the CBA but signed a photocopy of a document that KNUT laboured for with its Human Resource Experts and Legal advisers.
“No wonder you do not understand the CBA to date and that the illegal Career Progression Guidelines which abolished the recognition of new academic qualifications by teachers (Certificates, Diplomas, Bachelor’s Degrees, masters ad PhD). You have gone ahead to gloriously worship the CPG which takes away the intellectual rights of the teachers who undertake continuing education.
“You have totally been negotiated by the agency fee which is a favour that has been granted to you via utter discrimination against KNUT via TSC influence.” Read part of the statement. You have enjoined in matters that are in Court between KNUT and TSC to side with TSC specifically the Contempt Case against TSC, CEO TSC and the Chairperson T SC for their continued contempt of Judgement No.151 and another Cause at Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) on the intention by T SC to revoke the Recognition Agreement with KNUT.” Said Kuppet.
KNUT now says that Kuppet’s enjoinment is via invitation by the TSC to strengthen their case which is not only anti-union but immoral and which does not promote solidarity at all in the labour change.
“Therefore going out to purport to instruct KNUT to withdraw legal cases and purporting to volunteer to intervene with these series of CONSPIRACY with the employer is nothing but hypocrisy. We, therefore, do not welcome your mischievous activities around the dispute between KNUT and TSC, a dispute that we shall pursue to its logical conclusion using all avenues including Courts of Law.” read Sossion’s statement.
If you have failed to join the global labour Unions in piling pressure on TSC to stop anti-union activities against KNUT then you are least qualified to discuss KNUT in your forums. Inform your officials accordingly.” Concluded the KNUT SG.
