The Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General, Wilson Sossion, has announced what is seen as another course of action after the Government crushed their hopes of receiving a 50-60 pay rise.
Workers under the Trade Unions Congress Kenya (TUC-Ke), led by Secretary General Wilson Sossion, stated that they would vote out Jubilee Government in 2017.
Speaking at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, Sossion said that the Government had failed to tackle corruption and that Kenyan workers were disappointed.
“We cannot recognize a government that does not respect the rights of workers. Time has come for us to work together and bring real change in the country,” he said.
Sossion urged President Kenyatta to reshuffle his cabinet and hire those that would help him run the country without corruption.
“We are not going to be observers in 2017. We are telling all the Wanjiku's that we can’t sit and see you suffer with heavy taxation while a few elected people sit there just to steal. That’s why as a labour movement, we are announcing today that all workers will come together and vote for real change in this beautiful country,” said Sossion.
The KNUT Secretary General further faulted the government for what he termed as an infringement on human rights.
“Trade unions must enjoy their rights. Workers rights are human rights and attempts to stifle such rights will be opposed,” he added.
On his part, TUC-Kenya Vice Chair Charles Mukhwaya, said that as a union they were surprised at how the teachers' pay rise matter was dealt with.
According to Mukhwaya, they had written to the International Labour Organisation to look into how the teachers pay battle was handled.
“We know it is wrong to subject the country to international ridicule but the unfair labour practices warrant attention,” Dr Mukhwaya said.
This comes after the Court of Appeal nullified the 50-60 per cent pay increase that was awarded to the teachers by the Employment and Labour Realtions Court in June.
Kenya National Union of Teachers and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers officials vowed to appeal the ruling at the Supreme Court.
