The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Collins Oyuu has changed tune and asked for a review on the salary deal that the teachers’ unions signed with the Teachers Service Commission in 2020 that did not include monetary benefits.
Since Collins Oyuu’s election as KNUT’s Secretary-General, the union has mainly played to the tune of the Commission as they attempted to bridge the strained relationship with the former KNUT Secretary-General Wilson Sossion.
Oyuu revealed that his union had already started talks with the teachers’ employer over the possibility of having a renegotiation on the 2021-2025 CBA.
“We are pushing for a salary increase component included because we know that we did not have a salary increase in the current CBA because the economy was performing poorly due to the effects of COVID-19.
“The treasury had already set aside funds to boost the TSC kitty for the same reason. We are determined to have the employer, ourselves and other stakeholders expedite the discussion,” said Collins Oyuu.
Citing hard economic times, the Commission gave unions a non-monetary 2021-2025 CBA in July last year. However, many teachers have been against the CBA from the beginning leading to KNUT now calling for talks with the Commission.
TSC had indicated that it would still be open to renegotiations in less than a year which could lead to a review of the signed CBA.
Among the considerations for the CBA was input from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) which the Commission took seriously.
“We have also asked the unions to consider SRC’s advice of freezing salary review in the public sector,” said Dr Nancy Macharia, the TSC CEO following the signing of the CBA.
The following is KNUT’s current salary proposal for teachers.
Grade | Current Basic Pay | Prosed Basic Pay |
B5 | 21,756 – 27,195 | 28,717 – 35,897 |
C1 | 27,195 – 33,994 | 35,897 – 44872 |
C2 | 34,955 – 43,694 | 46,140 – 57,676 |
C3 | 43,154 – 53,943 | 56,963 – 71,204 |
C4 | 52,308 – 65,385 | 60,677 – 64,500 |
C5 | 62,272 – 77,840 | 72,235 – 74,971 |
D1 | 77,840 – 93,408 | 90,294 – 98,912 |
D2 | 91,041 – 109,249 | 105,607 – 120,173 |
D3 | 104,644 – 125,573 | 121,387 – 129,105 |
D4 | 118,242 – 141,891 | 137,160 – 141,392 |
D5 | 131,380 – 157,656 | 152,400 – 182,880 |
Besides, the call for a pay rise for teachers, KNUT also want the union to cover the costs of the Teacher Professional Development (TPD). This is after teachers across the country were instructed to contribute a monthly stipend of Sh. 6,000 to the TPD.
While the union acknowledged the benefits of the TPD, they demanded that the union should pay for the programme.
In addition, the union also wants the age group that is to attend the training to be reviewed. In his opinion, the duration of 30 years in which teachers have been directed to attend the TPD is too long and this might not make any sense to teachers who are now over the age of 55 years.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) through their Secretary-General Akello Misori said that the effects of COVID-19 have affected teachers with the salary freeze exacerbating the situation even further.
According to Misori, the economy has improved and this has necessitated the reopening of talks over the review of salaries.
“Among these outcomes, a review on the freeze in salary during the Third Public Sector Remuneration and Benefits Review Cycle (covering 2021-2025 fiscal years), which the government blamed on the poor economic performance caused by COVID-19,” said Misori.
Akello said that while the union has been lenient and reasonable so far, teachers cannot wait any further for talks on the pay rise.