Salary talks resume with Knut expecting good TSC counter-offer
Education
By
Augustine Oduor
| Sep 28, 2016
Salary negotiations between the government and teachers resume today with unions saying they expect a
counter offer to their 300 percent pay rise demand.
Representatives of Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) said yesterday they were ready for negotiations
with the Teachers Service Commission.
But they warned they would not participate in protracted acrimonious talks.Teachers want the Government to present its offer to counter their 300 per cent pay-rise demand when salary talks resume today.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) yesterday asked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to place "whatever they have" on the table for talks to start.
KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion said teachers wish for "peaceful talks devoid of acrimony" when they attend the negotiations today.
"We hope that in the spirit of Labour Relations Act, the TSC will make available all the necessary information to facilitate Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) talks," said Mr Sossion.
Section 57 (2) of the Labour Relations Act says: "For the purpose of conducting negotiations, an employer shall disclose to a trade union all relevant information that will allow the trade union to effectively negotiate on behalf of employees."
TSC meets Knut officials today, a week after the employer held separate meetings with both unions to lay ground rules for the talks.
Details from the TSC on a possible counter-offer were scanty.
"We have dedicated all our energies on the talks and we hope if all goes well, and if the Government is serious, we should be able to sign a CBA by October 30," said Sossion.
A meeting between Knut and TSC last week formed a 10-member negotiation committee, which will meet today.
Sossion is leading the Knut negotiation team that includes National Chairman Mudzo Nzili, National Treasurer John Matiang'i, Deputy Secretary General Hesbon Otieno and Deputy National Treasurer Ndiku Muo.
A similar meeting between Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and TSC is scheduled for October 4.
Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori will lead the unions' negotiation team that includes National Chairman Omboko Milemba and his vice Julius Korir, National Treasurer Mwethi Njenga and Gender Secretary Catherine Wabilyanga.
"We are ready for the meeting come that time. But it would be easier if TSC made available a counter-offer for us to discuss internally ahead of time," said Mr Misori.
Sossion yesterday said talks should be concluded immediately to allow teachers to prepare candidates for national examinations.
Some 1.5 million candidates will sit this year's exams. Of these, 952,445 candidates will sit Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams while 577,079 candidates will sit Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams.