Varsities Union threaten to strike

By Sam Otieno and Ramadhan Rajab

Dark clouds are looming over the seven public universities following a move by administrators to ignore a Collective Bargaining Agreement it signed with its non-teaching staff.

The Universities Non-Teaching Staff Union (Untesu) accused the management of impunity and failing to implement a 15 per cent basic salary and a 7.5 per cent house allowance increase.

Untesu Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya said the management had also failed to register the CBA at the Industrial Court two months down the line.

"The Labour Relations Act stipulates the CBA be registered at the Industrial Court within 14 days after its completion. This has never been done," he said.

The unions, he said would take it upon themselves to ensure the CBA is registered at the court tomorrow.

If implemented the lowest paid worker earning a basic salary of Sh12,000, and house allowance of Sh14,000 would get an increase of Sh2,100 for basic salary and Sh1,050 house allowance.

The highest paid member earning a basic salary of Sh144,000 and house allowance of Sh60,000 is to get an increase of Sh21,600 basic salary and Sh4,500 to house allowance.

Mukhwaya threatened that the union would issue a 21-day strike notice if the CBA is not implemented.

undeserved allowances

"We wish to inform the management of public universities that the patience of our 15,000 members is running out," he said.

Addressing a press conference at the union’s offices in Nairobi, Mukhwaya said the union would use all means to it to get what it deserves.

"We want to see the same passion and zeal the management uses when allocating itself undeserved allowances and salary applied in implementing the CBA," he said.