Payroll Woes in Higher Education as New Lecturers Strike Disrupts Learning.
Public universities are facing an impending crisis as they struggle to pay staff salaries. The University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has called on the government to assume responsibility for the payroll of over 30,000 academic staff, citing financial difficulties faced by institutions of higher learning.
Lecturers at the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) commenced a strike on Wednesday, marking the second institution within a week to halt operations due to salary disputes. The strike follows a similar move by academic staff last week, raising concerns about stability in higher education.
They demand the alignment of payslips, settlement of a two-month unpaid commuter allowance from 2020, timely remittance of statutory deductions, and the enforcement of the 2017-2021 local Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) National Secretary General Dr. Constantine Wasonga encouraged staff to stand firm while discussions with the university management continue in pursuit of a resolution. He emphasized that if he receives a satisfactory commitment or the money is wired while negotiations are ongoing, he would instruct the workers to resume their duties.
Dr. Wasonga pointed out that university staff are weary of frequent strikes and called on the government to take full responsibility for university payrolls, similar to other public sector employees.
He argued that, with only 30,000 university workers nationwide, the government could handle their salaries directly from the exchequer, allowing university funding to be used exclusively for operations and maintenance.
Wasonga criticized the practice of delaying salaries until student fees are collected, stating that university staff should not be subjected to such indignity.
He insisted that allowances outlined in the local CBA must be paid as agreed. Additionally, he urged the university administration to engage with TUM union leaders to resolve workers’ grievances and prevent further disruptions.
Upcoming Strikes in Other Universities
Wasonga announced plans to initiate strikes at Tom Mboya University next week, followed by similar actions at Moi University and TUK, as they have yet to pay January salaries. He reiterated that the solution lies in the government fully managing university payrolls, likening university staff to civil servants who receive direct government payments.
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UASU TUM Chapter Secretary General Prof. Josiah Odalo condemned the university’s decision to withhold their two-month commuter allowance without consultation, describing it as a direct violation of the CBA.
He demanded an immediate reversal of the deduction, asserting that employees’ money should not be diverted for purposes such as renovations or purchasing vehicles for university officials. He labeled such actions as both unethical and an extreme form of impunity.
Payroll Woes in Higher Education as New Lecturers Strike Disrupts Learning.
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