UASU Strike Begins at Moi University Over 2017 CBA and Salaries Delay
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has declared a comprehensive strike by its members at Moi University, commencing on Monday, August 26.
This decision follows the institution’s failure to implement the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and delays in salary payments, among other grievances.
According to UASU branch secretary Ojuki Nyabuta, the strike was sanctioned following a consultative meeting with national officials on Monday, which upheld the strike notice issued on August 19.
The strike was launched at the College of Health Sciences in Eldoret and will continue until all demands outlined in the notice are met. Ojuki emphasized that the strike would only be called off after negotiating and signing the Return to Work Formula (RTWF).
UASU’s Grievances
Ojuki highlighted that academic staff have faced perennial salary delays, with some not receiving payments for two months.
He stated that the union rejects the continued mistreatment of its members. Last week, the Moi University Council and management met with the lecturers’ union in an attempt to resolve the salary crisis that had already triggered a go-slow by over 3,000 employees.
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Council Chairman Dr. Humphrey Njoroge mentioned that they had requested a meeting with UASU to discuss and consult on issues like salary delays and the non-implementation of the 2017–2022 CBA.
Njoroge claimed that they had agreed on a way forward to resolve these issues and assured that all agreed-upon matters would be implemented.
Union’s Position
However, UASU officials, led by Ojuki, indicated that the meeting with the university council and management, led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Isaac Kosgey, yielded no commitment regarding the implementation of disputed issues.
Therefore, the union decided to proceed with the strike. According to the 2017 CBA, Ojuki confirmed that the strike would persist until the full payment of salaries.
Over the past three weeks, more than 3,000 university employees have staged a go-slow to protest frequent salary delays and other work-related issues.
If their demands remain unmet, they have threatened to escalate into a full-blown strike. Workers, led by UASU and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), have petitioned President William Ruto to intervene and address their grievances.
Workers’ Financial Struggles
Mary Chepkwemoi, KUSU secretary, mentioned that their members have boycotted duties at the main campus and the College of Health Sciences because of unpaid July salaries. Contract workers have been without pay for eight months.
Chepkwemoi also noted that the university had failed to remit salary deductions for loan payments and other financial obligations with banks for the past seven years.
This has left workers heavily in debt, with some even losing their assets to auctioneers due to the university’s failure to remit deductions for loan payments.
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The workers demanded the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Kosgey and the university council, urging President Ruto to ensure new management at Moi University to prevent its collapse. On Tuesday, workers protested at the main campus and the medical school in Eldoret over salary delays.
Despite the protests, Njoroge maintained that there were no significant issues with employees, claiming most were still on duty. He acknowledged that Moi University, like other institutions in the country, continues to face financial challenges, leading to salary delays and other issues.
UASU Strike Begins at Moi University Over 2017 CBA and Salaries Delay
