This archive report was first published on 28 August 2019.
On Wednesday, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) urged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to pay all teachers their salaries in full without discrimination of the union they belong to.
According to Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori, it is unfair for TSC to stop the implementation of the second phase of pay increase due to its differences with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut).
Mr. Misori, accompanied by union chairman Omboko Milemba and other officials, also criticized some senior officers at TSC and some Knut officials for serving their own interests at the expense of suffering teachers.
As it emerged that TSC had declined to pay full salaries for 100,000 teachers affiliated to Knut and had also recovered salaries that were earlier paid as a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Mr. Misori said it is unfair for TSC to expect demotivated teachers to teach learners when schools re-open on Monday.
"We appeal to TSC to reconsider its position and pay teachers their salaries as it sorts out its issues with Knut," said Mr. Misori.
He also criticized Knut and TSC for failing to embrace dialogue and instead turning to court to settle their scores.
"Kuppet's position is that such deductions by the employer are unacceptable and illegal. All laws governing employment, from the Employment Act to ILO conventions that Kenyans have ratified, absolutely prohibit the reversal of earnings already gained by an employee," said the Secretary General.
Mr. Milemba asked Knut members to join Kuppet, assuring them of full implementation of the CBA. However, he denied allegations that the union was taking advantage of the crisis in Knut to recruit more members.
Kenya Women Teachers Association (Kewota) chairperson Dorothy Muthoni appealed to teachers to be patient as their issues are addressed by the employer.
