Strike looms as lecturers’ union meets

By Stephen Makabila

The Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) holds its National Delegates Conference (NDC) in Kakamega today with a national lecturers’ strike looming over Government failure to implement a pay increase signed in June.

More than 140 delegates from the seven public universities will converge at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Mmust) for the NDC, whose main agenda is to discuss the pay row between the union and the Government.

"Our agenda for the NDC is only one — Government failure to implement the 15 per cent basic pay increment and 7.5 per cent house allowance signed on June 18," Uasu national chairman Sammy Kubasu told The Standard.

Honour agreement

Prof Kubasu said the way forward may be approving a national strike for lecturers as all chapter meetings in the universities had approved the same.

"Lecturers from Kenyatta, Jomo Kenyatta, Moi, Maseno, Nairobi, Egerton and Mmust supported downing of tools unless Government honours the agreement, and that is the likely route the NDC will take," added Kubasu.

Several lecturers have indicated a strike option by the Union was likely to impact negatively on academic programmes in public universities and cause students unrest.

The salary increment signed as part of the 2008/10 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Uasu and the Inter-Public University Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) was supposed to be implemented from July 1 and be backdated to July 1, last year.

Implement CBA

On top of the 15 per cent basic salary hike , the lecturers were also to benefit from a 7.5 per cent house allowance increment.

Earlier, Kubasu had said all universities had implemented the 30 per cent basic salary award for the 2006/08 CBA awarded by the Industrial Court last September and backdated to July 1, 2006.

He said it was upon the Government to implement the 2008/10 CBA the way it had done for the 2006/08 CBA or risk a national strike by lecturers.

Prof Peter Mbithi of the University of Nairobi headed IPUCCF negotiation team while Uasu Natinal Trustee Mutuuria Mberia headed the Uasu team.

Uasu represents more than 5,000 lecturers in public universities.