KNUT members to enjoy new medical scheme even if KUPPET opts out

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has said the comprehensive medical scheme shall be rolled out to its members even if members of the rival union opt out.

KNUT secretary general Wilson Sossion said membership of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) is insignificant and cannot be allowed to deny the rest of teachers the medical scheme.

Statistics from the Teachers Service Commission indicates that KNUT has some 265,000 members against 35,000 of KUPPET.

"They are only 11 per cent of the entire teaching force. It is insensitive to hold the scheme because KUPPET leadership is opposed to it yet they participated in the meetings that endorsed the scheme," said Sossion.

Speaking on Friday, Sossion said KUPPET is free to bargain another medical scheme for its members.

KUPPET leadership successfully obtained orders barring the Teachers Service Commission TSC from deducting medical allowance for its members.

Employment Court judge Monicah Mbaru gave the orders Thursday barring TSC from deducting, subtracting or interfering with KUPPET members' salaries or medical allowances.

KUPPET argued that the teachers’ employer never consulted the union members before it selected AoN Minet to cover teachers' medical costs.

“The obligation on the members whose hard earned salary is subject to deductions on the account of this flawed and irregular obtained scheme does amount to an arbitrary deprivation of their right to property   contrary to article 40 of the constitution," KUPPET said.

But minutes of a meeting held at TSC on November 17, 2014 that adopted the teachers’ healthcare cover indicates that KUPPET secretary general Akelo Misori was present.

Also in the meeting of the Consultative Committee on Terms and Conditions of Service for teachers employed by TSC were: Samuel Macharia, representatives of the National Treasury, Director tertiary and secondary education Robert Masese from Ministry of Education, Commissioner Cleopas Tirop and TSC secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni.

Others present were Cheptumo Ayabei, Josephine Maundu and representatives of KNUT led by Sossion.

Minute 5/24/2014 (d) on the adoption of Teachers healthcare cover reads: "It was agreed that an award was made to AoN Minet subject to specific conditions. The scheme would be funded using teachers’ medical allowances and no funding would be required from government."

The document seen by The Standard further reveals that: "the medical allowance would be withdrawn once the scheme was finalized. The meeting adopted the scheme. The unions were happy with the scheme.”

Sossion said Misori of KUPPET moved the motion for the adoption of the scheme.

"Mudzo Nzili seconded him and that is what happened and is on the records. If their members believe them that this was KNUT affair them they are free to opt out," said Sossion.

Efforts to get a comment from Misori were futile as The Standard was told he is out of the country on an official duty.

Teachers are set to enjoy a robust medical scheme of up to Sh1 million on inpatient cover and an unlimited outpatient cover.

Maternity cover, dental and optical services shall also be covered by the scheme.

TSC contracted AoN to roll out the scheme starting July 1.

Under the arrangement teachers are expected to forego their medical allowances to finance scheme.