TSC pleads with teachers union to avert strike

TSC CEO Nancy Macharia. [Wilberforce Okwiri/Standard]

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has written a second letter to the teachers’ union, pleading with its officials to attend another round of talks to avert a looming strike.

A letter by TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia (right) invited the Kenya National Union of Teachers to the talks hours after the union rejected its offer.

“TSC wishes to appeal to Knut to reconsider its position and embrace bipartite engagement in the spirit of strengthening industrial relations between the parties,” she said, adding that TSC was alive to the fact that the dispute between the two parties was before court.

Mrs Macharia said the court encouraged both TSC and Knut to attempt conciliation as a form of alternative dispute resolution.

“It is from this point of view that the commission wishes to allay fears by Knut that engagement in negotiations is a means to circumventing the court process,” said Macharia in the letter dated February 13.

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion turned down the first invitation to the special meeting to discuss implementation of the conciliator’s report.

Mr Sossion said the meeting called by TSC was suspect, coming in the face of court orders.

“We suspect this is aimed at circumventing the court process, particularly because of your continued non-compliance with the orders,” said Sossion.