Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) officials have sharply disagreed over proposed salary increments by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
At the centre of the controversy are the details of a collective bargaining agreement which was prepared by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) seeking a 2.4 per cent salary increase for the lowest-paid teachers.
TSC also proposed a 9.5 per cent increase for the highest-paid teachers, which was to be paid two years before discussing another Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). According to TSC's proposal, teachers would have earned an increase of between Ksh1,076 and Ksh3,000.
On the other hand, SRC, led by its chairperson Lyn Mengich had offered a raise of between 7 to 10 per cent. However, KUPPET rejected these offers, arguing that they are too low for its members.
In the talks held on Tuesday, August 22, to discuss the salary review for teachers, KUPPET demanded a 30 per cent salary increase across the board.
It argued that the 30 per cent raise would cushion teachers against the rising cost of living. KUPPET also pointed out that the government awarded higher salary increases to other civil servants, such as doctors and nurses.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, KUPETT Secretary General Akello Misori slammed KNUT for accepting the offer, which he argued was equal to betraying the teaching fraternity as the TSC proposal was still unclear.
"We are not being told the truth about the salary increment because the proposal that SRC tabled is completely different from what TSC offered.
"At the same time, the President has been talking about a different offer all together. It is hard to negotiate with people who treat us with contempt and bad faith," Misori lamented.
However, in a separate meeting, KNUT, who initially demanded an over 60 per cent increment, backed down after meeting officials from the Teachers Service Commission and grudgingly accepted the offer.
KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu argued that TSC had acknowledged the challenges facing teachers. However, the commission claimed it could not increase salaries as it was financially constrained.
"The 2.4 per cent to 9.5 per cent is welcomed by the Kenya National Union of Teachers. There is nothing that has been reduced since the 2.4 per cent will be going to the highest earner and 9.5 per cent to the lowest earner," Oyuu confirmed.
KNUT's boss defended TSC and President William Ruto's government, noting that the State has been very considerate in preparing and availing the salary increments.
Oyuu called on their KUPPET counterparts to embrace talks and accept the proposed salary increment by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, led by Lyn Mengich.
"I don't think it is right to claim that the Teachers Service Commission has deducted some money that belongs to the teachers. That is not true," Oyuu countered KUPPET.
KNUT also asked the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to refine the initial proposal to secure greater long-term benefits for teachers.
"We shall not honour anything brought to us by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. After all, what is the essence of negotiation if original proposals are not honoured. As earlier stated, the 7 to 10 per cent must be negotiated by the unions and the employer," Oyuu stated.
Conversely, KUPPET cautioned that it would retaliate should the government fail to table a favourable proposal that may entice the teachers.
"I have given them up to Monday, August 28, to table tangible proposals which we can talk about," KUPETT Secretary General Akello Misori stated.
Teachers in Grade B5, the lowest within TSC, earn around Ksh21,756, while the highest in C3, C4 and C5 earn over Ksh43,154.
Grades D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5 comprising deputy principals and principals earn between Ksh80,000 to over Ksh160,000.
While speaking during National Music Festival in Nakuru on Wednesday, August 23, President William Ruto recommended that teachers who have demonstrated exemplary performance should be promoted by TSC.
Ruto noted that such promotions will lift the spirit of teachers and make them to work harder and more diligently.
"I believe that they deserve that promotion because they went beyond their call of duty," President Ruto stated.
