What KNUT is Demanding Ahead of August 26 Teachers Strike
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) recently engaged with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) regarding the implementation of the second phase of salary awards outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) 2021-2025.
Upon noticing that these awards were not reflected in the July 2024 pay slips, KNUT took steps to address the issue.
On August 5, 2024, KNUT sent a letter to TSC (Ref: KNUT/TSC/60/62/2024) requesting a meeting on August 7, 2024, at 9:00 am.
The Commission responded the following day (Ref: TSC/LLIR/KNUT/33/VOL X/40), stating that they would respond after internal consultations. However, a week passed with no further communication or invitation for the meeting.
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In response, KNUT sent another letter on August 12, 2024 (Ref: KNUT/TSC/60/66/2024), reminding TSC of the previous correspondence and highlighting other critical issues that required urgent attention.
Unaddressed Issues
KNUT outlined several pressing matters that needed immediate action:
Unremitted Third-Party Deductions:
- Bank loan deductions for teachers have been pending for the last five months.
- Savings and loan deductions to Saccos have not been remitted for five months.
- Burial and Benevolence Fund contributions and Teachers Education Fund savings and loans are also five months overdue.
- NSSF deductions have not been remitted for five months.
- Other third-party liability deductions have similarly been unremitted for the same period.
Employment and Promotion Concerns:
KNUT insists on the immediate conversion of 46,000 Junior School teachers to Permanent and Pensionable Terms and the employment of 20,000 new teachers.
Additionally, the union demands the promotion of 130,000 teachers who have been stagnant in various job grades.
These teachers were already shortlisted and interviewed for new grades in 2023 but have yet to receive their appointments.
Teachers’ Medical Cover:
The union is also concerned about the immediate remittance of capitation to the Medical Insurer. Service providers have not been paid for services rendered since early 2024, resulting in a failure to provide medical services to sick teachers and their families.
The reduction of the teachers’ medical cover budget by 11.9 billion through the Appropriation Act 2024/2025 threatens to reduce teachers’ benefits in the medical scheme by 50%, which KNUT finds unacceptable.
The third year of the medical cover, set to begin on December 3, 2024, at a cost of 20.7 billion, may not proceed due to insufficient current allocation to meet the commission’s financial commitment for the third year of the contract.
TSC’s Unresponsiveness
The Commission’s lack of response to these issues suggests a reluctance to engage in the available dispute resolution mechanisms.
KNUT has emphasized that this inaction may lead to industrial action without further notice.
The Union has also pointed out that TSC’s actions violate Section 6.1 of the CBA 2021/2025, particularly the obligation for the employer to swiftly address industrial grievances and adhere to the recommended grievance handling mechanisms.
Labour Dispute Registration
On August 14, 2024, KNUT escalated the matter by formally registering a labour dispute with the Cabinet Secretary of Labour and Social Protection (Ref: KNUT/LAB/52/14/2024), as outlined in Section 62 of the Labour Relations Act 2007. This action signifies KNUT’s commitment to resolving the issues in accordance with the legal frameworks governing labour relations in Kenya.
Remittance of Third-Party Deductions
KNUT also demands the immediate remittance of third-party deductions to their respective organizations. For the past five months, several deductions have not been remitted, including:
- Teachers’ bank loan deductions
- Savings and loan deductions to SACCOs
- Burial and Benevolence Fund deductions
- Teachers’ Education Fund savings and loans
- NSSF deductions
This failure has left teachers facing non-compliance penalties and financial distress, with many being negatively listed on the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) due to defaults on their obligations.
Strike Notice
The National Executive Council (NEC), after reviewing these pressing issues during their meeting on August 16, 2024, directed the Secretary General to prepare a strike notice to the TSC, effective midnight, August 25, 2024.
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Teachers across the Republic will withdraw from all schools until the matters are resolved.
The NEC has further instructed all Branch Executive Councils to mobilize for a total withdrawal of labor in all 110 branches of KNUT until the Secretary General calls off the strike as legally stipulated.
What KNUT is Demanding Ahead of August 26 Teachers Strike
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