Cracks in KUPPET Over Strike Cancellation, Executive Body Terms TSC Deal Fruitless.
Cracks have appeared in the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) after its National Executive Board (NEB) called off the two-week teachers’ strike on Monday without consulting the union’s highest decision-making body.
This has resulted in considerable dissatisfaction among branch officials from all 47 counties, who feel sidelined in making the decision.
The National Governing Council (NGC), which includes executive secretaries from 47 branches and 10 NEB members, is the union’s highest decision-making body and has the right to launch or call off industrial action.
On Sunday, the NGC convened at the Kasarani Sportsview Hotel in Nairobi and agreed to extend the strike into its second week. The council has not reversed its decision, which remains legally binding on all union members.
The Mwalimu News has learned that Secretary-General Akello Misori summoned a virtual meeting to review changes to the strike’s status.
However, the NEB did not follow this procedure, calling off the job boycott on Monday after a day-long meeting with top Teachers Service Commission (TSC) officials under the direction of CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia.
Disappointment
Tana River Kuppet chapter secretary Omondi Oluoch expressed disappointment, claiming that the union’s top leaders “poured cold water on our faces and trivialized a serious issue.”
“The strike was a war for the soul and dignity of the teaching profession, a fight to reclaim its former greatness. “It took courage, sacrifice, commitment, and hope for a better, more dignified workplace, but the NEB betrayed us,” Mr. Oluoch stated.
When they overlooked errors in the read-aloud statement, such as a false start date for the strike—June 26, 2024—rather than the actual start date of August 26, 2024, when schools resumed for the third term, the NEB’s haste to reach an agreement with TSC became evident.
“We will refute the claim that the branch secretaries backed the strike’s withdrawal. We received police permits to continue the strike on Tuesday, but they are now meaningless. “The head office has betrayed us,” claimed Mr. Charles Ngeno, executive secretary of the Narok branch.
“There is a lot of dishonesty within the union. “What we discuss in boardrooms differs from what the public hears at press conferences,” Mr. Ngeno remarked.
Mary Rotich, the Kericho branch secretary, and Paul Kimetto, her Bomet counterpart, said teachers felt betrayed by the decision to call off the strike when they were ready to remain on the streets to force TSC to accept their demands.
It is disheartening that teachers managed to secure police permits for peaceful demonstrations prior to the premature cancellation of the strike. What was the reason for convening the NGC on Sunday? Ms. Rotich asked.
Mr. Kimetto agreed with her. He said, “It is clear to all that the problem lies not with the branch officials but with those at headquarters who should bear the responsibility for the action taken without consultation.”
Virtual meeting
Secretary-General Akello Misori summoned the NGC to a virtual meeting to review changes to the strike’s status.
However, the NEB did not follow this procedure, calling off the job boycott on Monday after a day-long meeting with top Teachers Service Commission (TSC) officials under the direction of CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia.
The move prompted Kuppet’s Secretary for Secondary Schools, Edward Obwocha, to walk out. Mr. Obwocha claims that the union left the meeting without achieving its goals and that the strike’s cancellation did not follow the proper procedures.
He departed from the meeting due to TSC’s refusal to provide a return-to-work formula or draft consent for court filing. He says TSC has been known in the past not to act in good faith, showing that nothing has changed.
According to reports, the union was subjected to severe government pressure, with TSC allegedly withholding cash by suspending member contributions totaling millions of shillings.
The commission failed to deduct the union’s monthly contributions from recent pay stubs, causing Kuppet officials to panic, fearing they would be unable to support union operations or the strike.
Kuppet executives chose to comply with the financial constraints, aiming to avoid the same fate as their sister union, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), which experienced a decline in earnings from Sh147 million to Sh12 million per month following a previous strike.
Same Deal KNUT Agreed to
The agreement struck yesterday is similar to the one presented a fortnight ago, and it has generated criticism for its efficiency. Some feel that the union’s decision to halt the strike was inadequate, while others question the gains gained from the action.
The strike’s suspension clears the way for the start of the third term, with more than 125,000 Kuppet members returning to their classrooms.
Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori and TSC CEO Nancy Macharia announced the cancellation of the strike at a joint news conference to address pending issues.
“We have paid the Collective Bargaining Agreement, restored the medical cover, and regarding teacher promotion, TSC is seeking funding to promote as many teachers as possible, while also discussing the confirmation of teachers in acting positions,” Misori informed reporters.
The Nyeri representative accused top officials of disrespecting the union’s official stance on strike issues.
“Our constitution is the supreme text that governs all activities, yet national leaders have entirely disregarded it. “Where is the return-to-work formula in this situation?” He inquired.
ALSO READ: No Return-to-Work Agreements Signed Between TSC and KUPPET
Mr Misori called off the strike on Monday, stating that TSC had addressed the issues made by the union and that any residual complaints will be addressed gradually.
“Our key worry has been the execution of the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). We have highlighted the issues with the compromised medical facilities, which have resulted in instructors being turned away, including those with critical conditions. Thankfully, we were able to recover the previously lowered medical funding,” Mr Misori remarked.
Cracks in KUPPET Over Strike Cancellation, Executive Body Terms TSC Deal Fruitless.
