Teachers will strike if pay hike is not implemented, KNUT

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has threatened to call for a nationwide strike if the government fails to adhere to the court ruling on salaries.

The union, though its executive council, said that any plans on the part of the government intended on delaying the implementation of the court ruling will be faced with industrial action.

“Any gymnastics on the part of the government intended or designed to delay the implementation of the salaries will be met with industrial action by teachers,” they said.

Addressing the press on Sunday, the council, led by Secretary General Wilson Sossion, said that appealing the court ruling is tantamount to condemning teachers to poverty.

The council further noted that SRC has no mandate to tell TSC how much to pay teachers, adding that the court ruling on teachers’ salaries and allowances should be implemented by the end of July and it should be backdated.

“Teachers expect the ruling on new salaries and allowances to be implemented by the end of this month and it should be backdated,” said the teachers.

KNUT further ratified the on-going general strike on the demand to lower the new NHIF significantly.

The statement comes a week after the High Court on Monday ordered the government to increase teachers’ salaries by 50 to 60 per cent dating back to June 2013.

In her ruling, Employment and Labour Relations Court Judge Nduma Nderi said though funding for TSC Secretariat increased from Sh1.7 billion to Sh3.3 billion from 2007 to 2013 but teachers’ salaries have not reflected the adjustments.