Lecturers in public Universities today embarked on their industrial strike despite a court order stopping the same. In Kisii University lecturers joined their counterparts from other parts of the country in the push for salary increment.
The Lecturers marched singing and shouting through the Central Business District causing traffic snarl-up on the busy market day. Speaking to Kenya News Agency, Geoffrey Ratemo, and the Chairperson for local branch Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) said learning in the institution was grounded until their grievances were addressed.
In Taita-Taveta University learning activities were grounded as lecturers defied a court order and joined a strike by all universities to demand for their pay rise. According to the university authorities, the lecturers numbering about 150 demonstrated and calling for the implementation of the 2013-2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General Dr Constantine Wesonga said that the unions had given the government four conditions that have not been met.
Speaking to reporters in Nairobi, Dr. Wesonga said that the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) failed to offer a counter-proposal for their 2013-2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and since then their members have not received any pay perks.
“We cannot wait for the salaries and Remuneration Commission to evaluate the job of university professors, they don’t have capacity and we want to send a strong message to the government that no form of intimidation will stop this strike” said Dr. Wesonga.
And in Karatina University more than 500 lecturers and administration workers this morning downed their tools in solidarity with colleagues in other universities who went on strike to force the government to negotiate the 2013 to 2017 collective bargaining agreement.
Harmonisation of salaries
The teaching and non-teaching staff who are members of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic Hotel Education Institution and Hospital workers vowed to remain out until the government agrees to resume the delayed negotiations.
UASU Karatina University Chapter Secretary Karen Ogola said among the issues they wanted agreed on in the new CBA was the harmonisation of university workers’ salaries with those of other government workers.
[crp]
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