Teachers' unions should let voice of reason to prevail

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion (right) with Knut Vice-chairman Samson Kaguma adressing members of the press after attending a meeting at TSC headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi. [PHOTO: STANDARD]

A few days ago, the Supreme Court finally delivered the much-anticipated verdict on the long-standing salary increment dispute pitting teachers’ unions against the Teachers Service Commission. In its ruling to an application filed by the latter, the judges upheld the verdict of the Employment and Labour Court to award the teachers a 50 to 60 per cent pay rise and orders issued by the Court of Appeal on the same matter.

TSC had moved to the Court of Appeal under a certificate of urgency, but the judges declined to issue the orders sought. Instead, they asked the officials to pay the teachers their salaries based on the new rates as they wait for the hearing and determination of the case they had filed.