He added that Uasu is aware that the Government is not keen negotiations and has resorted to court battles and cabinet decisions that are aimed at delaying the talks till next year.
“We have been reliably informed that the Kibaki government is not keen to address these issues. They want the next government to take up the matter and as workers we feel that is arrogant,” he said.
He faulted the government’s move to award a salary increase to university executives and demanded that MP’s pay be halted until all salaries are restructured.
K’Olale and Mukhwaya said the university vice chancellors currently take home at least sh. 1.3 million every month yet the workers earn peanuts.
Last week, the unions were offered a 0.5 per cent salary pay that amounted to less than Sh 200 pay rise per month.
“If the university administration will also not get serious to address these issues then universities and colleges will stay shut for a long time,” said K’Olale.
As part of their demands, Uasu want a new salary structure that will double the basic pay of lecturers and improve their allowances by more than 100 per cent.
If granted, the union proposes to raise the pay of a professor to a maximum of Sh400, 000- up from the current Sh165, 000 a month.
With this, the new house allowance will rise to Sh95, 000, up from Sh64, 000.
The lowest paid staff, the graduate assistants, would have their pay increased to Sh78, 000, up from Sh40, 000.
Their housing allowance would shoot to Sh45, 000 housing up from Sh30, 000.
