Union opposes proposal to cut ECDE teachers pay
Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers officials at Chester House in Nairobi on February 5, 2023. They criticised the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s proposal to lower their members’ salaries. The Kenya County Workers Government Union also protested the move.
At least 13,000 Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teachers are staring at a salary cut of more than half as the salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) comes up with a new grading and salary structure.
In a circular by the SRC dated January 13, the commission has directed all governors to implement the new grading and salary structures that propose a slash of between Sh7,383 and Sh10,803.
In the new structure, an ECDE teacher at the certificate level will earn between Sh7,836 and Sh11,467 for job groups between F and L. This will be a massive drop from the current salary of between Sh16,890 and Sh20,800 for the same job groups.
The worst hit is job group H, consisting of assistant ECDE Teacher I, who will lose up to Sh9,866 translating to a 54 per cent cut, with the new salary being Sh8,804 down from the current Sh18,270.
The cuts will also affect teachers at the diploma level whose salaries will now range between Sh11,467 and Sh19,094 down from the current Sh22,270 and Sh27,700 for job groups between H and N. Job group J (ECDE Teacher II) will suffer more than 52 per cent salary cut, from the current Sh23,310 to Sh12,980.
However, the Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU) has threatened to go on strike should governors implement the SRC directive.
The union’s General Secretary Roba Duba yesterday termed the new salary structure as illegal and a blatant violation of labour laws. He said the new structure will see most of the teachers earn below the minimum wage set at Sh15,120.
“At no given time was this union consulted in coming up with the grading and salary structures, which is totally against the law. Further, take note of the current minimum wage which stands at Sh15,120 notwithstanding the high cost of living,” said Mr Duba.
He argued that the commission coming up with a different salary structure for ECDE teachers, who are also county employees, is discriminatory and in contravention of employment laws.
The KCGWU boss said county governments are paying the ECDE teachers using a scheme of service agreed upon in 2018 and adopted in 2020 and so the directive by the SRC will deprive the teachers of their rightful salaries.
Section 138(a) of the County Government Act states that an officer’s terms of service including remuneration, allowances and pension or any other benefits shall not be altered to the officer’s disadvantage.
The union wants SRC to rescind the circular and ensure all stakeholders are brought on board and that the process is satisfactory and transparent.
“Your quick action on this matter with a proposed date for a meeting would help avoid unnecessary industrial action against you. We don’t want to take to the streets but give dialogue a chance,” he said. He also called on President William Ruto to step in and rein in the blatant violation of the employment laws.
“This is an abuse of power by the SRC and we want the government to address the matter urgently,” Mr Duba said.
