KNUT to issue strike notice, says Secretary General Wilson Sossion

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) will Saturday issue a seven-day strike notice to the government.

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion said the union's National Executive Council (NEC) will meet Saturday to ratify and endorse what the teachers voted for during the Annual Delegate Conference in Nairobi.

"After the NEC meeting, we will issue a seven-day notice to the government and the teachers employer to make them aware that no teacher will resume work come January," said Sossion.

Speaking to the Press in Bomet, Sossion said teachers will withdraw their labor come January 5 following the government failure to implement the return to work formula that was signed between the union and it in July last year.

"The Union has summoned National Executive Council to approve the content of the seven day notice for the employer and the government for teachers to withdraw labour starting today Saturday Dec 27 from 10:00 o'clock at the union headquarter board room," he said.

"After tomorrow, the struggle with the government will begin as there will be no teacher going to open schools come January unless the government moves in to conclude the CBA within the seven day period,"

At the same time, Sossion said the Trade Union Congress of Kenya (TUCK) will meet early next week to vote and ratify a general strike by all TUCK affiliate unions since the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has not withdrawn the contentious circular dated December 10.

The circular raised the house allowance of Cabinet Secretaries to Sh200, 000 a month and that of Principal Secretaries to Sh150, 000 effective January 1, 2015 and which the union had demanded to be withdrawn by last Wednesday December 23.

Sossion insisted the government should prepare itself for a general strike by workers country wide.

"The government cannot talk of its commitment to education of the Kenyan child when most of the learning institutions are doing without adequate teachers," he remarked.