Kenya: Government withholds salaries after teachers’ strike ends
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), one of EI’s affiliates in the country, has informed EI that the teachers’ national strike which started on 25 June was called off on 17 July. The education union urged teachers to report back to their schools the next day. Unfortunately, however, the Government has gone back on its promise that there shall be no financial implication for striking teachers.
“A return-to-work agreement was signed on 18 July,” said KNUT acting Secretary General Mudzo Nzili. “The government also agreed that there would be no victimisation of any union member in relation to the strike.”
The agreement stated that teachers would be paid their June 2013 salaries which had been withheld. Their responsibility allowance was to be increased by 100 per cent from 1 July to align it with a commuter allowance due to all teachers along with civil servants. Teachers are also to receive a special school allowance and a reader allowance for all visually impaired teachers.
June salary not paid
“For the whole duration of the strike, teachers were strongly united and stayed firm,” explained Nzili. “They held very peaceful demonstrations within their counties. The Government as usual declared the strike illegal, but this did not stop the teachers from requesting their rights. The employer went ahead and withheld the teachers’ June 2013 salaries. Still, this did not scare the teachers. The strike continued.”
However, Nzili condemned, the government has turned its back on the return-to-work agreement implying that no teacher will be victimised as a result of the strike. He explained that teachers will only be paid their July salaries for the days they worked, i.e. from 18 July.
“This is where we are at the moment. We have written to the employer to demand that teachers should be paid their July 2013 salaries in full by 31 July. Failure to do that will result in further industrial unrest,” he warned.
EI: Support for colleagues
“EI fully supports our Kenyan affiliate’s continuous fight for its members’ rights,” stated EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen. “We urge Kenya’s public authorities to immediately engage in negotiations with organisations representing educators.”
