Atwoli tells off new union over key seats

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has vowed that he will not allow Confederation of Public Servants Trade Union (Pusetu) to take over the seats reserved for workers in the key state institutions.

Atwoli argued that no legal provision exists that Pusetu can invoke to demand representation where Cotu is represented.

“We shall not allow them to sit anywhere because they don’t pay membership. They should forget. Cotu is an alternative organ for national guidance in this country. You touch Cotu you touch on almost everybody,” he said.

But even as their rivalry simmered, Labour Permanent Secretary Beatrice Kituyi said yesterday the ministry had not received any complaints from either of the unions.

However, Pusetu interim Secretary-General, who is also Knut boss, Mr Okuta Osiany, demanded representation in the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) where Cotu has sole representation.

work harmoniously

He said the union would go to court to challenge the nomination of Isaiah Kubai by Cotu to the SRC as a first step towards reclaiming what is theirs.

Okuta said Pusetu would also demand representation in the National Hospital Insurance Fund and at the National Social Security Fund where Cotu is sole union representative.

But even with this war of words, Cotu and Pusetu leaders have maintained that they are not fighting each other.

Speaking to the Press yesterday, Kituyi noted that two centres of trade unions had been created by registering Pusetu and asked the two unions to work harmoniously.

“The fact is that we now have two centres one representing public sector and the other representing private sector. But as a ministry we have not received any complaint from any of them,” she said.

The PS said she had only read about the “perceived fights” in the media but had not received a formal note from any of the unions.

The law is clear and we hope that all unions will enjoy the provisions of the new Constitution that grants freedom of association and to form trade unions.

petitions

What may, however, complicate the relationship between the two unions is fresh detail that over 10,000 teachers have petitioned Knut over their stand on Pusetu, a move Knut blames on Cotu.

Atwoli said several teachers have called him in protest over Knut’s affiliation to Pusetu.

“We have received petitions from almost all the branches saying they are unhappy,” he said.

He said the teachers are unhappy with among others things, the decision to headquarter Pusetu at Knut offices and a raft of “unilateral decisions” made by the top leadership.

“These teachers are saying that Cotu has always defended them. Knut should tread with more care because they may suffer more instability within their own unions like they have never witnessed before,” Atwoli said.

 joined forces

Okuta, however, said Knut has proper structures and said he is the only person mandated to call a delegates conference of any kind.

“Let them try. They will not succeed even with the help of Cotu,” he said on phone.

Pusetu was formed by five public servants unions which joined forces to rival the Cotu.

These unions are Union of Civil Servants of Kenya (UCSK), Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers (KUPPET) and the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU).