Teachers Give 14-day Strike Notice to TSC Over Salary Payrise
Teachers Give 14-day Strike Notice to TSC Over Salary Payrise. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) demanded a compensation review for its members on Sunday, July 9, and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) was given 14 days to schedule negotiations.
The KNUT secretary-general, Collins Oyuu, asserts that the rising cost of living is causing teachers to face severe financial difficulties. He said that given the amount of work teachers undertake, their existing remuneration are insufficient.
As a result, the SG campaigned for a raise in compensation for all teachers as well as a review of extra benefits like housing allowances and health insurance.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) forbade us in 2021 from discussing any financial issues. Since the SRC has lifted the limitation on negotiating, we have written to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to request an invitation to the negotiation table so that we may review our current pay.
The SG claims that the current economic situation, particularly the rising 8% inflation rate, has an impact on KNUT members.
Teachers Give 14-day Strike Notice to TSC Over Salary Increase
We must examine the non-monetary Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) we agreed to in 2021. He emphasized that we must never forget how bad the economic situation is in this country.
He continued by saying that compensation should be buffered based on a non-monetary CBA that reflects actual financial demands in order to assist teachers in managing rising living expenditures.
A pay increase was requested at a time when the administration was experiencing financial difficulties. Oyuu, however, asserted that the government should focus on teachers’ welfare because they are the cornerstone of the educational system.
The TSC’s 14-day deadline to begin negotiations expires on July 25. KNUT has threatened to take extra steps, such as strike action, if TSC does not respond by then.
KNUT’s requests nevertheless remained unanswered by TSC. On Thursday, July 6, the commission did assert that it was dedicated to making sure that instructors are adequately rewarded.
The demand for a wage increase is the most recent in a string of teacher demonstrations in Kenya. Teachers have protested and gone on strike in recent years over a variety of problems, such as pay, working conditions, and a dearth of prospects for career advancement.
The government reacted to the demonstrations by promising to resolve the teachers’ concerns. However, the administration has argued that it cannot afford to grant all of the unions’ demands.