Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli on Thursday intervened in the ongoing tiff between a section of Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Union officials and their Secretary General Akello Misori.
This comes after a section of KUPPET officials on Tuesday came out and disowned Misori's move to call off the teachers strike. The officials also called for the Secretary General's resignation.
Speaking during a joint press briefing in Mombasa, Atwoli called upon the teachers to stop the blame games and instead forge a united front as they continue rendering their services.
"Support your leadership and allow them to lead you. On behalf of COTU, I am appealing for peace, calm, and continued support within KUPPET. I am calling upon KUPPET to remain united and committed.", the COTU SG said
Atwoli nonetheless commended KUPPET and the TSC for their sustained support for teachers. He went on to assure KUPPET teachers that Misori had not sold them out after they labeled the Secretary General a traitor.
Defending his move to call off the strike, Misori clarified that he did not make the decision unilaterally claiming the decision was the collective resolution of KUPPET's Executive Council.
"Once you are at the talking table, you cannot continue with the strike, let's not blame each other, this is not war, it is industrial relations", the SG said.
Misori claimed that during the last meeting, KUPPET's county executive members, who are part of the NGC, explicitly granted the executive board the authority to engage with the TSC.
The mandate allowed the board to negotiate terms and reach an agreement that would address the grievances that had led to the strike being called in the first place.
Following these discussions as revealed by Misori, the TSC agreed to meet several of the union’s demands, prompting the executive to call off the strike.
Despite KUPPET officials sustaining calls for his resignation, Misori has continued to call for unity and solidarity within the union.
“We must remain united and focused on our goals. Internal squabbles will only serve to weaken our position and give our adversaries the upper hand,” Misori urged.
Misori has advised the critics within KUPPET to channel their energy into supporting the union’s agenda rather than sowing discord.
The teachers' strike lasted for 6 days with the teachers demanding better pay, promotions, and for the government to adhere to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) agreed between the union and TSC.
