Teachers strike looms as talks between TSC, KNUT collapse

Talks between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) collapsed on Wednesday raising fears that the union could call its members to yet another strike.

The talks ended prematurely after the union tabled a list of 85 head teachers whose transfers it wanted revoked immediately, a demand that was rejected by TSC.

KNUT insisted that some of the teachers were union officials who have now been moved from their respective branches.

In a statement to newsrooms, TSC CEO Nancy Macharia said: “All TSC employees have a right under article 27 of the Constitution to be treated fairly without being subjected to any discrimination. It is therefore unreasonable and discriminatory for KNUT to demand different treatment for 85 teachers out of the 321,007 in public learning institutions on account of their elective positions in the union.’’

The Naivasha meeting, which began on Monday, was held following an earlier meeting in August this year where both parties agreed to meet and iron out issues that had emerged in the course of the implementation of the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA.)

Three weeks ago, KNUT had issued a warning indicating it will mobilize its members to a nationwide strike if TSC does not meet its demands.

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion was quoted saying: “The strike is ripe and only suspended… the September 30th to October 5th meeting must solve these issues….if not, remember the exams are only a month away, they might not have teachers administering the exams.”

The demands by the union include, among others, halting of teacher delocalization and appraisal programmes.

While the talks remain in jeopardy, TSC has maintained its commitment to a harmonious industrial relation with the teachers’ union as any industrial action at this time could affect national exams which are slated to begin at the end of October.