Relief for teachers as Uhuru unlocks their September pay
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday issued an ultimatum to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and union leaders to negotiate a Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) that will end the teachers’ salary dispute.
In a series of tweets on his official Twitter account, the President urged both parties to withdraw cases filed in court and draft a CBA within 30 days.
“When the cases are withdrawn, a 4 year CBA will agreed between KNUT and TSC as advised by SRC,” read one of the tweets.
The President also urged TSC to pay September salaries to all teachers as well as the union dues.
“TSC urged to pay Sept. salaries and union dues. The teachers who worked during the strike should be paid extra allowances,” read another tweet.
SALARY INCREASE
This even as a ruling by the Court of Appeal on Friday overturned the 50-60 per cent salary raise.
The teachers pledged to take their fight for higher pay to the Supreme Court with the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary-General Akelo Misori stating that teachers will not relent until they get a basic salary increase.
In his June 30 ruling, Mr Justice Nduma Nderi had awarded the teachers a salary increase from July 2013 to June 2017.
The teachers have been in court since January this year fighting for a basic salary increase.
They had rejected Sh9.3 billion in allowances that was offered by the government, insisting that they could only sign an agreement if it had a component of basic salary.
Their employer, the TSC, has since implemented the allowances component starting July this year.
A five-week strike was called by their unions in September delaying the start of the third term in the school calendar.