TSC Behind-The-Scenes Tactics that Made KUPPET to End Teachers Strike.
Negotiations, cash denial, intimidation, and threats to cripple the union were among the techniques used by the government and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to persuade the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) to end their strike on Monday evening, according to the Nation.
Due to their conflicting interests, some members of the union’s national executive board (NEB) have also faced accusations of acting as double agents for the government.
On Monday, the NEB conducted a day-long conference with the TSC, following which they announced the strike’s cancellation. It surprised teachers who had spent the day marching in the streets and planned to continue the strike, which had gained momentum and caused some schools to close due to student disturbance.
Kuppet had planned the strike in collaboration with his sibling, Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), who walked out on the eve of the industrial action, which began on August 26, 2024.
Last week, Knut secretary-general informed the Nation that top union officials agreed to put off the strike on Saturday, August 24, 2024, only for Kuppet’s national governing council (NGC) to ratify it the next day.
Intention to prolong the strike
On Sunday, September 1, 2024, the NGC repeated its intention to prolong the strike until all of its demands were met, then retreated to the branches to prepare for future demonstrations. However, the NEB’s determination persisted until they unexpectedly announced the cancellation of the strike on Monday, September 2, 2024.
TSC used typical dark tactics behind the scenes to bring the union to the negotiating table, as revealed now. “Obviously, Kuppet did not win all we set out for in this strike. However, the agreement constitutes a major win for the union,” the secretary-general, Akello Misori, would later admit.
The commission announced last week that it would only engage in discussions with the union after calling off the strike.
As the Kuppet officials entered the TSC boardroom for negotiations, the commission had already refused to deduct and return the members’ union dues for August, despite the fact that this is required by their recognition agreement.
Kuppet executives are all too familiar with the strategy that brought Knut to its knees following its disagreement with the employer in 2019.
TSC Strategies
Withholding union dues is a powerful tool that has a significant impact on a union’s ability to operate efficiently. Without the finances, Kuppet would struggle to support its national and branch offices, as well as continue the strike.
The TSC’s decision to take this strategy seems to have enclosed KUPPET, leaving them with few options but to reevaluate their difficult stance.
Every month, 1.8 percent of each Kuppet member’s basic pay is deducted and remitted to the union. Due to Kuppet’s agreements with the TSC on teacher remuneration, we deduct non-members at the same rate as agency fees.
“Union members will have to find other ways to support the organization if they want a strong union,” Mr. Misori argued before caving in.
Kuppet, which has over 135,000 members, generates more than Sh35 million per month to fund its operational expenditures, which include branch operations, employee wages, and legal bills. Kuppet and Knut collectively receive almost Sh2 billion every year from teachers around the country. Knut members contribute 2% of their basic salary.
Kuppet also risked expulsion from the Ministry of Labour’s list of unions authorized to collect dues, as Knut did in 2021. The threat of losing this key financial stream, which would cripple the union, influenced Kuppet leaders’ decisions.
Government Role
Furthermore, the government is thought to have had a role in this tactic by including Kuppet leaders in behind-the-scenes negotiations, promising future concessions, and assuring them that their issues will be handled in subsequent conversations.
Despite their initial resolution, the TSC’s financial pressure and the government’s diplomatic overtures appeared to be sufficient to persuade them to call off the strike.
“The TSC reached out to us informally seeking assurance of our seriousness, which is why we formally wrote a letter and sought a meeting. However, it became clear that their intent was to blackmail us. I want to warn the TSC that teachers are not to be dismissed lightly. Mr. Misori stated during a press conference that people are misinterpreting those court orders.
Furthermore, the activation of the “exit button” on the T-Pay system, which allows instructors to check their pay stubs, terrified the officials into softening their firm stance.
The function was initially employed on Knut, where instructors who left the union received a negotiated salary raise while remaining members were excluded. Knut accused TSC of withdrawing their membership illegally.
Its numbers fell from a high of 187,471 to just 15,000. This threat was significant, particularly considering the significant changes in membership over the past few years. Kuppet was deeply concerned about the potential of losing members, and hence the union’s financial viability.
Behind the Scenes
As the planned strike approached, Kuppet publicly encouraged its members to take part, accusing the TSC of seeking to muzzle their views. Behind the scenes, though, a different story was unfolding.
According to a union source, there are constant threats to weaken the union. Various counties arrested some officials during the strike, and the TSC dispatched officers to monitor teachers who failed to report for disciplinary action.
“There have been persistent threats to dismantle the union. Over the weekend, the TSC arrested two of our officials and dispatched officers to monitor teachers who had reported for work, indicating that our teachers were in danger.
Edward Obwocha, the Kuppet secretary for secondary schools, disagreed with the other NEB and walked out of the meeting, citing his dissatisfaction with the decision to call off the strike without a definite return-to-work formula.
No return-to-work formula exists
The National Governing Committee (NGC) convened yesterday [Sunday] and stated that if a return-to-work formula exists, they can approve it online. He expressed concerns among union members about the lack of concrete agreements and the perceived haste in finalizing the return-to-work formula.
“We have decided to stop the strike and encourage all of our teachers to return to class in order to comply with the court decision and allow ongoing conversations,” Mr. Misori stated.
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However, KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu stated that on the eve of the strike, unions met with government authorities to discuss the possibility of calling it off. Despite these conversations, the KUPPET National Governing Council insisted on carrying out the strike, which caught the brotherhood by surprise.
On Tuesday, Kuppet chairperson Omboko Milemba indicated that union and Knut officials had met several times and opted to proceed with the strike, raising concerns about striking protocols and highlighting serious challenges with documentation and communication.
“We met several times, and we never agreed to halt the strike. We agreed that it would continue, only for them [Knut] to betray us. “It was evident that they had already submitted the notice,” he stated.
TSC Behind-The-Scenes Tactics that Made KUPPET to End Teachers Strike.
