UASU Chairman Calls for Broader Stakeholder Involvement to Resolve Staff Strike.
The chairman of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Cyprian Ombati, urged the government to involve additional stakeholders to help resolve the ongoing staff strike.
In an interview on Spice FM on Thursday, he criticised the university councils for delaying the implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), a key issue at the heart of the strike.
Ombati recommended that an inter-ministerial committee be formed to facilitate discussions between the government and university staff.
He expressed frustration over being sent back to the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) or dealing with vice-chancellors, arguing that these avenues had proven ineffective and would further delay resolution.
Confusion Over the CBA
Ombati highlighted that confusion surrounding the formation of the CBA had become a major obstacle.
He suggested that the introduction of a uniform, centralised CBA would help standardise terms across all public universities.
He explained that previously, there were both national and individual university CBAs, but the union had pushed for the consolidation of these agreements into one national framework.
Salary and Working Conditions
Ombati pointed out that public university staff salaries had not been adjusted since 2017, despite the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s (SRC) guidelines mandating salary reviews every four years.
He revealed significant disparities in pay and working conditions across universities and stressed the need for standardisation, ensuring that lecturers across all institutions receive equal treatment.
Furthermore, Ombati proposed that lower cadre staff should receive a higher percentage salary increase compared to senior employees.
Regarding university funding, Ombati criticised the practice of using student fees to pay staff salaries, asserting that fees alone could not sustain the operations of universities.
He called on the government to ensure that staff salaries are paid directly from the national exchequer.
Additionally, he noted that many universities were facing financial struggles, which had led to difficulties in meeting loan obligations and paying staff allowances.
Involvement of SRC
Ombati called for the inclusion of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) in the negotiation process, arguing that their presence would provide much-needed clarity.
He expressed concerns over the involvement of vice-chancellors in negotiations, suggesting that their vested interests often complicated discussions.
Ombati concluded by stating that only with the participation of SRC could productive negotiations move forward.
The call for broader stakeholder engagement comes as UASU, along with the Kenya Universities Staff Union, continued their nationwide strike, impacting over 35 public universities across the country.
UASU Chairman Calls for Broader Stakeholder Involvement to Resolve Staff Strike.
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