Egerton University non-teaching staff issue 7-day strike notice
Members of Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) and University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Egerton University chapters in a past joint strike. The staffers threaten to go on strike if the institution fails to clear their salary arrears running into millions of shillings.
At least 700 members of the Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) Egerton University branch will go on strike if the institution fails to clear salary arrears running into millions of shillings.
Kusu national secretary general Charles Mukhwaya said the union members were living in squalid conditions and their social lives have been disrupted due to non-payment of their salaries.
“As a union, we have tried to engage the employer without much success. The union is left with no alternative but to give the university management a seven-days strike notice with effect from October 5,” added Dr Mukhwaya.
The official said the notice has been served to the employer and the government through the Ministry of Labour.
“The University Council must pay the members a 100 percent salaries immediately, pay all the accumulated salary arrears, reinstate and respect our members negotiated terms and conditions of service, as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA),” said Dr Mukhwaya.
At the same time, the union is demanding the university negotiates and concludes the 2013/2017 internal CBA that has been pending for over seven years.
“If these four grievances are not addressed then the union members will begin their strike as scheduled on October 5 by downing their tools and will not resume work until their demands are fully met. We shall exercise our constitutional right to go on strike without further notice," said Dr Mukhwaya.
He faulted the employer for giving empty promises which have seen the members lead miserable lives.
“Kusu members at Egerton University are living a miserable life. It is not fair for professionals and other ordinary workers working in an institution of higher learning like Egerton to go round begging to feed and take their children to school," said Dr Mukhwaya.
The Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) secretary general Charles Mukhwaya addresses journalists in Nakuru City on October 1, 2022. He is accompanied by other Kusu executive members.
“It is dehumanising that as a professional you cannot feed your children. The employer has been engaging us in public relations exercises instead of honouring the constitutional obligation to pay our members their rightful dues.”
Dr Mukhwaya said the situation in other public universities is different as the majority have paid negotiated 2017/2021 CBA and members are working.
“Where there are issues of delayed promotions those universities are sitting down with the unions and resolving these matters amicably. Unfortunately, it is not the same at Egerton University,” he said.
“All these public universities get money from the exchequer and one university cannot claim it is the most affected. This is a result of mismanagement of resources from the exchequer and someone is not managing well those resources.”
Deteriorating Financial Situation
Dr Mukhwaya was speaking in Nakuru City on Saturday after holding a Kusu national executive meeting convened to address the deteriorating financial situation at the Njoro-based institution.
The financially troubled university is unable to pay its workers full salaries and other statutory deductions amounting to over Sh6billion
The financial mess at Egerton University has not changed for nearly 10 years despite subsequent changes in top management.
At least 600 Uasu members are also in the firing mood and are expected to issue a strike notice as their members are also owed millions of shillings in salary arrears.
