New hope for an end to university teachers' strike

Striking Egerton University lecturers. The dons are pushing for the implementation of the 2013 -2017 CBA. [File, Standard]

Public universities could resume learning next week after the Government authorised the release of Sh5.2 billion to pay striking workers.

The Standard Thursday established the National Treasury was working on a payment plan that would see an initial Sh2.1 billion released to cater for the lecturers' salary arrears accrued for the past five months.

This will cover all the salaries and allowances not paid to the workers since the signing the Sh10 billion 2013-2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The remaining Sh3 billion will be paid monthly to universities starting next month as workers' salaries are adjusted to the new salary brackets.

All university workers were to get enhanced pay following the CBA agreement. However, universities failed to honour the payment, citing inadequate cash allocations to complete the deal.

The monies included increment on basic salaries, house allowance and pensions.

Sources said the Government would increase the allocations for each university from next month to enable the institutions implement the new salaries as negotiated under the CBA.

This means academic staff who have been on strike for the third week now will first receive all their arrears backdated five months and their new salary scales reflected in December pay slips.

University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Secretary General Constantine Wasonga Thursday said the union had not received any communication from the Government.

“They know how to communicate with us. So far there is nothing and they cannot address us through the media,” said Dr Wasonga.

The union maintained all its demands must be met before the strike is called off.

“We had three irreducible minimums. Payment of basic salaries increment and house allowances, completion of internal CBAs and jump-starting the new 2017-2021 CBA,” said Wasonga.

He said a special National Executive Council (NEC) meeting had been called on Wednesday next week to consider any Government proposals.

“We cannot call off the strike based on promissory notes,” he said.

However, all indications are that the strike will be called off after the Sh2.1 billion hits the lecturer's accounts.

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