NAIROBI, KENYA: A teachers' union has petitioned the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to refund erroneous deductions of union dues terming the action as being in contravention with labour laws.
Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers(KUSNET)through its Secretary General James Torome complained over the deductions of about Sh1,200 reflected in the June pay slips indicating that his members had been deducted for unions they do not belong.
“I have received numerous complaints from my members across the country that they have been deducted money for other unions such as KNUT and KUPPET which they have never been members. This is a serious matter and we want all the illegally deducted dues be returned back to the members,” said Torome.
The unionist accused the employer of forcefully recruiting members to other unions against their wish which is against the law.
He adds: “The law is very clear that one cannot be a member of more than one union.I wonder how them the TSC deductsSh500 each for Kuppet and Knut, and Sh200 legal ones for Kusnet totaling Sh1,200.This must stop.”
In letter addressed to TSC Chief Executive Oficer(CEO)Dr Nancy Macharia,the union referred the union to separate letters dated July 10,2015 and February 9,this year raising concern over the TSC deductions on the union fees.
He said the TSC through the unlawful deductions was causing misery to the already underpaid teachers thus should be refunded forthwith.
“If the lowest person gets 30,000 and about two percent is deducted you find that they are taking about 500 from them meant for KUPPET and KNUT which they have not subscribed to. As Kusnet we deduct Sh200 from each,”said Torome.
March this year,another union Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) moved to court to compel the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to remit the dues to it and not its rival, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut).
Through lawyer Leonard Njau, Kuppet wants TSC to stop remitting the teachers’ deductions to Knut until the dispute is resolved.
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