Pay deal brokered by President Uhuru Kenyatta not binding, says KNUT’s Wilson Sossion

Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General Wilson Sossion joins Chebonei girls Secondary schools students for a dance during a fundraising. Sossion said teachers would not negotiate with TSC for a new CBA. PHOTO: GILBERT KIMUTAI/STANDARD

NAIROBI: Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion has distanced himself from the deal brokered by State House, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and some union officials.

Terming it ‘null and void’ Mr Sossion said he is the sole spokesman of the giant teachers' union and the decisions reached in his absence are not binding to the union members.

He said proper structures and organs of the union were not involved in the deal as laid down in the union’s constitution.

Speaking at Chebonei Girls, Bomet County at a fundraising yesterday, he said: “Any decision made in the absence of the Secretary General is just but a gentleman’s agreement. It cannot be binding at all as it must contain the seal, signature and approval of the spokesman. That is the rule and there is no shortcut.”

Reacting publicly for the first time following a deal reached between Knut steering committee led by the National Chairman Mudzo Nzili and the TSC at State House, Sossion said the deal is not favourable to teachers and that is why he kept off.

“Where I see teachers' rights are being abused I will not appear and will never rubber stamp anything like that,” he said.

The Secretary General said teachers will not negotiate with TSC for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

At the same time, Sossion made it clear that Knut would not withdraw any case before the courts to pave way for fresh negotiations with teachers’ employer.

He said teachers' rights were not under the prerogative of anybody and the directives by the President were misplaced.

Tearing into the President’s directive, Sossion said the government instead of playing politics, should apologise to teachers for dilly dallying with their September salaries.

“The court ordered a long time ago that teachers be paid their September salaries and we are shocked to hear some sort of directives to make teachers look like they are begging for their rights. That is wrong and we will not entertain such actions by the leadership of this country,” he said.

He added: “We must differentiate between a right and political favours. Teachers have a right to get their September Salaries and we have a right to the union dues. And such a pronouncement as much as it is welcomed is not a favour and they should know that.”

Sossion said teachers will not allow the government to run away with the 50-60 per cent awarded to them by the courts.

He pointed out that the union has already filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to challenge the Court of Appeal ruling annulling the Employment and Labour Relations Court decision to award teachers a pay rise.

He disclosed that the union is working with its lawyers and is planning to present their petition at the Supreme Court the coming week.

“Teachers are not happy with the Court of Appeal ruling and that is a fact. We cannot be pushed to a negotiation table with an employer with a set mind. Unless the negotiation is about implementation of the 50-60 per cent award,” he said.

“Anything short of the implementation of the 50-60 per cent award is unacceptable and I will not go to the table and negotiate. We do not have time for monkey business and the government should know that,” he added.

Sossion also faulted the government for roping in the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) into the dispute.

“Anybody who thinks SRC should be involved in this deal is wrong because that will subject teachers to job evaluations,” he added.

He also regretted that politics was interfering with the trade unions with a plot to bring them down.