Impending Lecturers Strike Threatens Public Universities as Salaries Dispute Talks Collapse,
The failure of discussions between the Inter-Public Universities Council Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) and the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) over the 2021-2025 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) raises the prospect of a halt to study at all 35 public universities.
Efforts to establish a compromise were unsuccessful, forcing Uasu to launch a 7-day strike. Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga will lead national officials in issuing the strike.
The forthcoming walkout is Uasu’s second in a month, following the union’s call for its members to stop working on August 6, 2024, in colleges dealing with unsolved concerns.
Grievances Lead to Strike Action
- Uasu’s complaints are lengthy and include:
- Salary payments have been delayed and are incomplete.
- The failure to pay statutory and third-party deductions, including loans, insurance premiums, and pension contributions, is prevalent.
Certain institutions have already paused learning as academics push to implement the 2017-2021 CBA. This two-week strike primarily affects first-year students, whereas continuing students only recently resumed classes.
Moi University: An Example of Continued Struggles
Ojuki Nyabuta, the Uasu chapter secretary at Moi University, reaffirmed that the strike would continue until all demands were satisfied. Nyabuta observed that many employees who received promotions or wage increases have not yet noticed the changes in their pay.
He further stated that the financial situation had deteriorated, with monthly contributions totalling Sh4.1 billion still outstanding to third parties. This debt includes unpaid pension contributions, insurance premiums, and loan repayments, jeopardizing the well-being of employees and their families.
Nyabuta stated that since 2016, more than 70 employees have died without their dependents obtaining benefits, with 53 cases expected by mid-2022. He also wanted a fixed date for wage payments, reducing the employer’s discretionary power in the subject.
Additional grievances are:
- Salary disparities for promoted employees.
- The Parallel Student Support Programme (PSSP) experienced financial mismanagement.
- Unresolved difficulties with the promotion criterion.
Worsening Situation at JKUAT and TUK.
The current strike at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has entered its second week. Muiga Ragara, secretary-general of the Uasu JKUAT chapter, expressed disappointment with the lack of progress in negotiations with the administration, stating that despite attempts at conversation, the situation remained stagnant.
Ragara added that the university administration had acquired a court order to halt the strike, complicating their case. He anticipated that the imminent declaration of the nationwide strike would significantly impact JKUAT and other institutions, as they strive for improved working conditions and equitable treatment for academic staff.
Meanwhile, at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), Uasu chapter secretary-general Fred Sawenja chastised the university’s management for ignoring teachers’ concerns. He mentioned that faculty have stopped teaching due to ongoing disagreements over unequal compensation payments, requesting equivalence with earnings at other universities.
Sawenja emphasized the importance of immediately remitting all statutory and third-party deductions, including National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and National Social Security Fund (NSSF) contributions.
Legal Intervention and Mediation Efforts
Amid the increasing unrest, the temporary court injunction prohibiting Uasu members from participating in the strike adds another complexity. On June 24, 2024, the local Uasu branch served JKUAT with a strike notice.
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In response, on July 17, 2024, the Ministry of Labour hired a conciliator, Charles Gondosio, to encourage conversations between the parties and requested the professors to postpone their strike while mediation was taking place.
However, the concerns remain unresolved, and with a nationwide strike declaration due soon, tensions are likely to rise further.
Impending Lecturers Strike Threatens Public Universities as Salaries Dispute Talks Collapse
