Teachers under the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) issued a seven-day strike notice to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), on Thursday, June 3.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akelo Misori - while speaking at a press conference in Nairobi - stated that they will down their tools if the employer fails to raise teachers' salaries and offer them promotions.
The decision to revolt was occasioned by TSC's delay to negotiate and implement the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), with the current one set to expire in July 2021.
"Teachers expect nothing other than a salary review this year. We have gathered that TSC was advised by the Salaries Remuneration Commission (SRC), but TSC has not shared the advisory with us," Misori warned.
KUPPET listed its demands to TSC, stating that it wants teachers to be offered a 70 percent pay rise in the next CBA, from the current 30 percent.
It also demanded that the Ministry of Education under CS George Magoha, ensure that salary increase arrears for over 3500 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) teachers transferred from TSC to the Public Service Commission (PSC) are provided before the current CBA - 2017-2021 - expires.
Kenyans.co.ke reached out to Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion for his stance over the delayed CBA negotiations and whether KNUT would join KUPPET in the strike. Sossion had not replied by time of publication.
In January 2021, he threatened to call for a strike after 30,000 teachers who missed out on promotions and salary increments.
He warned TSC from putting teachers in the collision course with the government and disrupting the industrial peace in the teaching service by engaging in mischievous and illegal ways of conceiving, negotiating and implementing the CBA.
The Nominated MP, on Friday, May 28, lamented that TSC's tactics put teachers in a difficult position. He, however, called on the employer to offer a way forward on how the issue will be handled before it escalates.
"There is currently no new CBA for teachers. They will, therefore, miss their salary increment and promotions," Sossion lamented while pushing TSC to hold discussions with teachers.
"TSC should not put us in the collision course with the government, and disrupt the industrial peace in the teaching service by engaging in mischievous and illegal ways of conceiving, negotiating and implementing the CBA," he had earlier warned in November 2020.
