The meeting between the Teachers Service Commission and teacher’s unions held on Tuesday, June 29, at Safari Park hotel, Nairobi ended in a standoff as both parties could not agree on the promotion of teachers as well as their salary increments.
The Teachers Service Commission CEO Dr Nancy Macharia called teachers for a meeting to deliberate on the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori, said the proposed deal by TSC did not include any financial gains – which he claimed to be among the teachers’ major grievances.
He also accused the commission of using the Covid-19 pandemic as grounds to reject teachers’ salary increments.
“KUPPET is reluctant to entertain a CBA with no monetary benefits,” stated Misori.
“TSC must arrange its house in order and within the next 7 days bring a counter offer which is acceptable,” added Misori.
In a quick rejoinder, TSC urged teachers to accept the offer, citing the economic situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia said they put on the table what was available.
She also implored the unions to consider that teachers last year received full salaries even while at home, as opposed to other sectors which downsized or subjected their employees to salary cuts.
“We can’t give what we don’t have,” she said. KNUT’s proposal was 200 per cent while KUPPET had proposed 30-70 per cent salary increment.
GOOD TIDINGS FOR KNUT?
Some believe that the departure of the abrasive former Knut boss Wilson Sossion may have heralded the good tidings for the teachers union. Another relationship between the union and the teachers’ employer could be on a path to recovery.
TSC invited unions to the negotiating table. The talks with the new office bearers could lead to a better-paid deal for more than 218 000 teachers
The newly elected secretary-general of KNUT Collins Oyuu was openly opposed to Sossion’s style of leadership and it is believed that his presence is the helm of the teachers union.
The long-standing tiff between tsc and KNUT under the leadership of Sossion saw TSC revoke the recognition agreement with the union leaving it cash trapped.
TSC also stopped promoting members and submitting dues to the union as membership dropped from 200 000 members to a paltry 15 thousand.
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