Behind Closed Doors: Efforts to Stop the Teachers’ Strike
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), leading the teachers’ strike, is intensifying efforts across the education sector to resolve the dispute.
The strike, which began on August 26, 2024, stems from grievances over the delayed implementation of the final phase of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which teachers had expected to reflect in their August salaries.
On Thursday morning, KUPPET officials met with Julius Melly, the Chairman of the Education Committee of the National Assembly, to present their perspective on the strike and propose a return-to-work formula.
They acknowledged the Ministry of Education’s commitment to resolving the matter, but expressed dissatisfaction with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), which had issued a court order against the strike.
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KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori criticized the TSC for circulating the court order on social media before officially serving it to the union.
Following the meeting with Mr. Melly, KUPPET officials convened internally and decided to request a meeting with TSC CEO Nancy Macharia. By press time, the TSC had yet to respond to this request.
Request for Dialogue with TSC
The union’s letter, dated August 29, 2024, emphasized the need for a meeting to resolve the ongoing strike and reach an amicable settlement.
The letter also highlighted KUPPET’s commitment to resolving the issues without engaging in lengthy legal battles. The union urged the TSC to engage in dialogue to avoid further conflict escalation.
In response to the union’s request, TSC’s Director of Legal Labour and Industrial Relations, Cavin Anyuor, reiterated the commission’s stance. He stated that TSC had already implemented the final phase of the CBA, including backdated salary payments to July 1, 2024.
However, he emphasized that the commission would not meet with KUPPET until the union called off the strike and complied with the court order suspending the industrial action.
Involvement of Other Stakeholders
On Wednesday, Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli hosted KUPPET officials at his office, where he expressed support for the strike and urged the TSC to engage in talks.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Alfred Mutua, has also been involved in the efforts to mediate, although direct negotiations between KUPPET and TSC have yet to occur.
ALSO READ: KUPPET Affirms Strike Continuation After TSC’s Rejection
KUPPET has urged its members to continue the strike until they sign a return-to-work formula that addresses their grievances. Misori confirmed that only the national governing committee of KUPPET could call off the strike.
The TSC, on the other hand, remains firm in its position that the union must comply with the court order before any further negotiations can take place. The commission has asserted that it has addressed all the union’s grievances, and it will only initiate further discussions after withdrawing the ongoing industrial action.
Behind Closed Doors: Efforts to Stop the Teachers’ Strike
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