Kenyan lecturers in fresh strike threat over pay increment row

david nganga

June 3, 2018 1:12 PM

This comes just two weeks after they called off a 76-day strike

University dons could yet again down their tools as unions plan to return to the courts over pay increment row.

The University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) will file a case at the Employment and Labour Relations Court next weekto demand a fresh offer from the government, reports The Sunday Standard.

Uasu secretary general Constantine Wasonga said the union will not relent in its quest to have the 2017-2021 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) fully implemented.

“As things stand now we can do whatever we want. We can call a strike. We are not done yet and no one should be fooled,” he said.

The Ministry of Labour issued the union officials with a Certificate of Disagreement, signaling a potential start of another strike ‘anytime.’

Ready for talks

“We rejected the 1.75 per cent that they offered us and we want a realistic offer. Courts have granted Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs)” and we are not sleeping,” said Wasonga.

Vice Chancellors Committee chairperson Francis Aduol however denied knowledge of the legal action saying they are ready for talks with the union officials.

The looming industrial action comes two weeks after Uasu called off the 76-day strike without a solid CBA.

The government only offered a pay rise of 1.75 per cent, translating to an annual pay rise of 0.435 per cent for all the 28,000 university workers for the entire four-year CBA.

david nganga