Teachers in quandary over court, unions strike stand

Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion challenged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to withdraw an appeal it had filed earlier in court challenging the award of 50 to 60 per cent pay rise, as a pre-condition for suspending strike.

Kenyan teachers have been on strike since August 31 over the government’s refusal to raise their wages.

A Kenyan court on Friday ordered teachers to suspend their strike, which is in its fourth week, and go back to class immediately as both the government and unions resolve the pay dispute within three months.

And yesterday, Deputy President William Ruto appealed to teachers to respect the Employment and Labour Relations Court directive and report to work today. Addressing journalists in Eldoret town yesterday, the senator said there was no way Knut and Kuppet leadership can engage in fruitful negotiations with their employer unless the case is withdrawn.

He said Knut will be in court tomorrow to argue their case and later make an announcement to teachers on the way forward.

It is this deal that is haunting the current government because, since then, the strikes have been perennial, happening almost every year, with teachers agitating for higher pay.

Abuodha asked that the Education Ministry help the unions and teachers’ employment agency pick an arbitrator.

Either party will be at liberty to declare a trade dispute if the reconciliation fails.

The more than one million pupils who will sit public exams next month are allowed to go to school, but it is not clear if there will be staff available to teach them.

She said FKE is committed to offering mediation between teachers and TSC to unlock the pay hike stalemate.

“The strike remains absolutely active”, he said in televised comments.

Sossion said KNUT is willing to comply with Friday’s court ruling to resume duty but their decision is dependent on TSC’s withdrawal of the appeal before Justice Nduma Nderi as directed in the ruling. “There should be no doubt, no confusion about that”.