The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, KUPPET has given the Teachers Service Commission, TSC, seven days to reopen salary negotiations.
According to KUPPET, failure to reopen the talks will see teachers take industrial action over failed salary reviews. KUPPET will give the way forward after seven days.
Speaking during a press conference, KUPPET secretary-general Akello Misori said teachers have been yearning to receive better pay.
“The union is left with no option but to convene our organs to explore all avenues open to us and guide our members in their quest for a salary increment,” Misori said.
This is even as 2021 candidates are expected to start their national examinations on March 7. Misori said teachers are determined to ensure their employer listens to their demands.
“If TSC came here and told us that we can talk to you in three weeks then give a solution, why do we have to threaten a strike or industrial action?” he said.
Misori said the twenty-one-day period issued on January,22,2022 elapsed without receiving substantive communication from TSC.
“All the commission did was to acknowledge our letter and promise to respond substantively at a later stage after interrogating the contents,” Misori said.
Teachers have been asked to suspend plans to hold a strike until national examinations are completed. The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, through their lawyer, wrote to the KUPPET on February Wednesday.
Commission lawyer Calvin Anyuor said this year’s tight school calendar should not be subjected to any distraction. However, the commission promised to engage with relevant stakeholders in government to respond to the demands made by KUPPET
KUPPET New Demands
KUPPET wants salary increments for teachers of between 30-70 percent for the highest and lowest paid respectively. The lowest-paid salary is to be raised from 34,955 shillings to 59425 shillings while the highest pay should rise from 118,242 shillings to 153,715 shillings.
The commuter allowance to be raised from 30-70 percent, From 5,000 shillings to 8,500 shillings and from 16,000 shillings to 20,800 shillings for the lowest and highest paid teachers respectively.
Leave allowance, which currently ranges from 6,000 shillings to 10,000 shillings from the lowest and highest paid teachers should be equivalent to one month’s salary for every grade.
House allowance to be harmonized across all grades with a township allowance awarded to teachers in urban. Hardship allowance to be increased by 50 percent from the current 10,900 shillings to 16,350 shillings and 38,100 shillings to 57,150 shillings for the lowest and highest paid respectively.
Introduction of risk allowance for science teachers starting from 5,465 shillings for the lowest paid and 30,587 shillings for the highest paid. Introduction of overtime allowance for teachers working in boarding schools.
