TSC, unions fail to agree in salary talks

Pay talks between the teachers' employer and unions Wednesday collapsed after parties disagreed on what the agenda should contain.

Officials said the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) wanted payment of September salaries and the release of union dues at the top the agenda, an idea the two unions rejected.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) also rejected TSC's proposal to stop the unions from addressing the media on the progress of the talks.

Also rejected by the unions was TSC's push to discuss President Uhuru Kenyatta's statement that directed both parties to drop their court cases and kick start talks within 30 days.

Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori Wednesday said union dues and September salaries were preliminary issues that ought not to have been part of the agenda.

He said the union was uncomfortable with the conditions set for the commencement of talks.

"We walked out because we could not agree on the agenda and the raft of conditions placed before us by TSC. In fact, no date was even set for the next round of talks," said Mr Misori.

Misori said TSC released November salaries but failed to release the union dues. "How can you negotiate with an employer who wants to finish you?" he asked.

But he said that both parties had agreed to form committees to speed up the talks and that mutually agreed issues would be communicated to the media. "If they are genuine why does the Press bother them?" he asked.

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion said their meeting did not even kick off as September salaries and union dues had not been paid.

"There was nothing to discuss and we asked them to close the file so they asked for time out and we granted it," said Sossion.

Kuppet was the first to appear for talks as Knut was scheduled for the afternoon.