Anxiety as TSC fails to table counter-offer on basic pay

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion

NAIROBI: Pay talks between teachers and their employer may stall after the latter failed to table a counter-offer on basic salary.

Minutes of the meetings seen by The Standard show that Teachers Service Commission (TSC) failed to honour its part of the bargain as agreed in one of the meetings.

A January 27 committee meeting chaired by Josephine Maundu, the TSC human resource director, agreed that both parties must present a draft proposal for deliberations in the next meeting. TSC did not present their proposal during another meeting on January 29.

The minutes indicate the technical committee on negotiation of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) resolved to reply to teachers unions' memorandum. This, coupled with TSC's response to the same, was to be used as the primary document in developing a draft CBA to be laid before TSC and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) for consideration.

Union officials told The Standard that TSC is using delay tactics even though another meeting is scheduled for Monday next week.

They said the talks may not beat the February 27 deadline for signing a CBA, because the 30-day deadline given by President Uhuru Kenyatta will have elapsed.

And with the lapse of the 90-day deadline extended by the Labour Relations Court on the salary row, unions would be free to go on strike.

An analysis of the memorandum prepared by both parties and tabled in one of the meetings reveals TSC has maintained that any salary increment shall only be negotiated with unions after the ongoing job evaluation is complete.

This means if TSC firms its grip on this stand, no basic salary proposal shall be placed before unions before June.

The document shows the current status on salary increase is that all teachers' salaries have been harmonised with those of civil servants with effect from July 2012.

TSC wants the elongation of teachers' salary grades as demanded by Knut to be discussed after the job evaluation.

"The commission recommends a review of the schemes of service for teachers to provide for a new grading structure after the job evaluation," the document partly reads.

The Standard yesterday published exclusive details on how the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) contracted PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to roll out job evaluation.

Details of the exercise indicate that SRC projects that teachers' jobs report must be ready by June.

"After that TSC shall now negotiate with the unions," said an official familiar with the details.

Further details show unions also demanded that TSC develops schemes of service for teachers. TSC insists that promotions will strictly be based on performance.

Already, TSC is rolling out a performance appraisal system to cover all government teachers.

The commission said it will develop professional courses for teachers in consultation with partners such as universities and other State agencies.

"TSC will partner with institutions that will undertake capacity building for teachers and administrators."

However, the document shows teachers are already enjoying house, commuter, leave, responsibility, special school and hardship allowances.

TSC said it has already procured a medical insurance cover for all teachers. Further explanations and TSC position are listed against each of 22 demands tabled by the unions.

Teachers demanded for children's education allowance but TSC said this is provided for through the Higher Education Loans Board, Constituency Development Fund and school bursaries.