Time running out as ministry schedules series of meetings to avert strike

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion (right) and Chairman Wycliffe Omuchayi (left) address a press conference on trade dispute. [Willis Awandu/Standard]

The government is trying to avert an impending teachers’ strike, with a series of mediation meetings lined up ahead of the January 2, 2019 deadline.

Yesterday, the Conciliation Committee appointed by Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani met and scheduled three more meetings to deliberate on the teachers’ grievances.

According to a statement from the CS, the committee, chaired by employee relations expert Charles Maranga, will today visit the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) executive committee. The purpose will be to get further clarifications on details of the issues of contention and get an in-depth understanding of their memorandum.

On Monday morning, the committee will meet the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). “Conciliation Committee visits TSC headquarters and meet with them to clarify on issues of contentions that gave rise to the dispute,” reads the statement.

In the afternoon, the committee has scheduled a joint conciliation meeting at the Ministry of Labour.

Issues to be discussed are teachers’ promotions, delocalisation and transfers of teachers, performance contracting system and teachers’ professional development modules.

Kenya Parents Association chairman Nicholas Maiyo said it is wise for the two parties to find a middle ground in time to avoid inconveniencing parents. “We do not want a situation where the school opens then after two days, parents are told to pick up their children. We request for dialogue and the parties should have a mutual understanding because those who will be affected are our children,” Maiyo said.

On December 19, Knut issued a two-week strike notice with effect from January 2, which was the official school opening date before the Ministry of Education pushed it by a day.

Union Secretary General Wilson Sossion said the strike notice had nothing to do with salaries but the devastating working conditions of teachers, matters which must be addressed to their satisfaction before they resume duties.

Sossion said the transfer of some 3,094 teachers was not approved by the Appointing Board, hence it was not only irregular but also punitive as it separated the teachers from their families.

“Teachers demand the immediate reinstatement of all promotions, which include those of all teachers with relevant higher qualifications, long service and exceptional performance in their work by January 2, 2019,” he said.