Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) chairperson Omboko Milemba has announced that teachers will begin their strike on August 24, 2024.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, Milemba said that schools will remain closed adding that the unresolved issues and lack of commitments from the government have driven the unions to take drastic measures.
He added that the rare show of unity between the Kenya National Union of Teachers(KNUT) and KUPPET is because the teachers who have remained patient despite a lack of commitment and delayed payments are now left with no option but to down their tools.
“There is a joint strike notice released by KNUT and KUPPET from August 26 this year that means schools will not be opened and this what you are calling rare unity between ourselves is because the teachers of Kenya who have been very calm have been called out to down their tools,” Milemba announced.
“The genesis of this begins with the long journey of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) in the past. Teachers would go on strike at the end of every year in December when the exams were still on, to solve that problem. We decided to leave the issue of signing legal notices with the government and adopted collective bargaining agreements which are allowed in law and therefore we were able to rest the issue of teachers going on strike every year.”
Reason for strike
The Emuhaya Member of Parliament accused the government of failing to implement the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which was scheduled to begin in July 2024 and also the second phase of the CBA includes a promised 7-9% salary increase.
The teachers are demanding full implementation of the 2021-2025 CBA.
“They have no option but to down their tools on the mentioned date unless a miracle happens, we are not only dealing with CBAs but also a c*********r because a party is going against court contempt,” Milemba said.
“Sometimes last year the government of Kenya introduced what we call the housing levy and was called upon to lead the teachers to go and negotiate with the president whether the teachers would be deducted the housing levy. We agreed that if the teachers were to pay for the housing levy they have to sign a CBA which that they will be refunded.”
Labour CS meets KNUT officials
On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour Alfred Mutua initiated discussions with the KNUT officials to resolve the looming teachers’ strike.
Taking to his X account, Mutua disclosed that he discussed with the Union leadership to iron out some of the contentious issues in the strike notice.
“Today, I met with the National Steering Council of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), led by Secretary General Collins Oyuu and National Chairman Patrick Munuhe, to address growing concerns that could potentially lead to a nationwide teachers’ strike,” Mutua said.
“The union raised several key issues, including the delay in implementing the second phase of the 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which promised a salary increment of 7% to 9%, as well as concerns about the teachers’ medical scheme, non-remittance of SACCO and loan deductions, and delays in retirement benefit payments.”