Kuppet suspends teachers’ strike

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has suspended the teacher's strike while calling on teachers to report to work on Monday.

The National Governing Council which is the top most decision making organ in Kuppet on Saturday said although teachers should report back to work on Monday, the strike remained suspended.

This announcement contradicts the agreement by Kuppet and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) who had consented to call off the strike after a deal was entered before an Industrial Court judge following intensive negotiations which were held in court.

“The National Governing Council (NGC) has suspended the strike to allow the court to sort out the matter,” said Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba while addressing a press conference at Railways Club in Nairobi during a council meeting.

On Wednesday, the teachers and their employer — the Teachers Service Commission — struck a deal before the Industrial Court Judge Nduma Nderi to allow learning to resume as they settle the matter.

CALL OFF STRIKE

The two unions had agreed that they would officially call of the strike so that teachers can resume classes by 8am on Monday January 19, 2015.

The unions were then asked to file their joint memorandum containing their demands by January 19, while TSC will on the other hand file their memorandum by January 26.

The Central Planning Monitoring Unit (CPMU) and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) will file theirs by February 9, 2015.

The court will consider memoranda the parties will file and make a determination on the basic pay dispute.

While Knut’s National Executive Council (NEC) on Friday gave the green light for the ending of the strike, Kuppet’s NCG on Saturday said it had only suspended the industrial action.

The move could be a fall back plan should the teachers fail to get what they have demanded for but may complicate matters for the union as it will be seen to be rescinding a court decision.

Mr Milemba said the decision to call off the strike was the prerogative of the NGC which brings together top national and county Kuppet officials.

While addressing the press at the same conference, Kuppet Secretary-General Akello Misori said teachers should prepare to go back to school on Monday even as they await the court decision.

OPTIMISTIC ABOUT DEAL

He said the teachers would present a memorandum of their demands to the court on Monday and was optimistic that the tutors will have all their demands met adding “the court will not be defied by this government”.

He also called on the government to drop unconditionally court cases facing teachers who were arrested and charged during the strike period.

“We have accepted to go back to class, the government should show similar goodwill and have those cases dropped,” said Mr Misori.

Mr Milemba said several teachers were arrested in Bungoma, Vihiga and Laikipia and claimed they were apprehended at the behest of their respective schools’ principals.

Teachers went on strike on January 5 after the government failed to heed to their demands.

They were then offered Sh9.3 billion in settlement of house allowance, hardship allowance and leave allowance but they rejected it insisting on basic salary.

The government insists that salary increment can only be effected once SRC has completed its job evaluation for all public sector employees in August this year.