KNUT threatens countrywide strike over suspension of 160 teachers

The Kenya National Union Teachers (KNUT) now says it may be forced to call for a countrywide strike if the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) does not rescind its decision to interdict 160 teachers.

It emerged on Tuesday that TSC had sent show cause letters to 160 teachers including 10 union officials for boycotting or disrupting training on the new competency-based curriculum (CBC) last month.

This move by TSC has got KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion breathing fire.

“An injury to one is an injury to all… This is a matter that we are going to take a very stern action against TSC… It is an act of provocation on the union since its inception in 1957,” said Sossion on Wednesday

In a letter copied to Education CS Prof. George Magoha, CS Labor Ukur Yattan and COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, Sossion has blamed TSC for taking an action he says violates the rights of union members.

“The next cause of action will not be pleasant to this country, this is a highly-calculated strategy to silence the union from speaking about critical issues. CBC will not be rolled out through force,” reads the letter.

In addition, COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, in a letter to TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, has called on KNUT and TSC to resolve the issue amicably.

‘’The commission is setting a dangerous precedence by its action to criminalize Labor matters and disregard any form of engagement with the union,” reads the letter.

For now, the fate of the teachers remains at the mercies of their employer but KNUT insists it will exhaust its avenues in ensuring the teachers get back their jobs.