The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have issued a 7-day strike notice to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The unions are demanding the resolution of six critical issues, with the confirmation of junior secondary school teachers taking centre stage.
“KNUT and KUPPET have today joined forces to demand the immediate resolution of the following six issues causing unrest among our members,” KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu told stated.
The strike notice, issued on Monday, outlines a series of grievances that the unions argue have long been neglected by the TSC.
Among the top concerns is the urgent need for the confirmation and employment terms of junior secondary school teachers, a matter that has been pending despite numerous discussions and promises.
KNUT and KUPPET emphasised the importance of providing clear employment terms and job security for teachers in junior secondary schools.
The unions argue that the lack of confirmation has led to job insecurity and affected the morale of teachers, ultimately impacting the quality of education.
"The unions demand the immediate confirmation of all current intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms effective July 1, 2024, and the remittance of their full salaries for the month, which are now arrears," Oyuu explained.
The unions are demanding a review and increment of teachers' salaries to match the rising cost of living.
“It is in the public domain that all is not well in the teaching fraternity. A Collective Bargaining Agreement, signed document and deposited in a court of law and that is the employment and labour relations court we agreed last year on the amendment of the CBA that was to cut across two phases. Phase one was paid in July 2023, and phase two was to be paid in July 2024,” KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu explained.
They argue that the current pay scales are insufficient and do not reflect the economic realities faced by teachers.
"The unions demand the immediate confirmation by the Commission that it will promote 130,000 teachers who have stagnated in their current job grades within this financial year. These teachers were already shortlisted and interviewed for new grades within this financial year," the unions stated.
There have been widespread complaints about delays in the promotion of teachers.
The unions claim that many qualified teachers have been stuck in the same job groups for years, despite meeting the necessary criteria for promotion.
KNUT and KUPPET are calling for better working conditions in schools, including adequate facilities and resources for both teachers and students.
They argue that many schools are operating with inadequate infrastructure, which hampers effective teaching and learning.
The unions are pushing for the full implementation of previously negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
They claim that the TSC has failed to honour some of the agreements, leading to frustration among teachers.
“This has not happened and no single teacher can believe that a signed agreement in the name of a CBA documented in law is not respected that is why my teachers are mad. We have written to TSC because this leads to an industrial action which might not be escaped,” Oyuu told journalists.
The unions are demanding better healthcare benefits for teachers.
They argue that the current healthcare provisions are insufficient and do not adequately cover the medical needs of teachers and their families.
