2021-2025 CBA had Better working terms. Oyuu says KNUT and TSC are in better relationship
In its first 100 days in office, Knut’s new leadership signed a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
Despite lacking monetary gains, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General says it has numerous advantages for teachers.
After a rocky period in the management of the union’s affairs, the new team took over on June 26.
It came into office with the slogan ‘Team Change,’ and sought to resolve the disagreements with TSC that had nearly paralyzed the union’s operations.
Wilson Sossion, Oyuu’s predecessor, had been viewed as a stumbling block, and Knut was at an all-time low.
Oyuu says that they have partially repaired the rift between Knut and the Teachers Service Commission.
“Our members know that before we took over the leadership of this great union, the relationship between the union and our employer, TSC, and the government in general, in particular the Ministry of Education, was not good,” he said during an interview with The Star.
According to Oyuu, the CBA was a significant step forward in improving teachers’ working conditions.
Among the advantages is a review of the contentious delocalization policy. He stated that married couples will now be able to reunite with their families.
The agreement also aims to expedite the promotion of teachers working in arid and semi-arid regions.
Teachers will be able to take more maternity and paternity leave. Maternity leave will be 120 working days, while paternity leave will be 21 working days.
In addition, the union’s dues have been released.
Oyuu stated that he assumed leadership of a union that was nearly paralyzed, with most offices closed and in debt.
According to Oyuu, the union also negotiated the payment of arrears for the 16,000 teachers who remained loyal members despite missing out on phases three and four of the 2017-2021 CBA.
Teachers have begun to receive their arrears, which date back two years.
“In August, and currently, we are dealing with individual cases of those teachers who have not received their payments,” he said.
In addition, Knut signed a new recognition agreement with TSC.
The employer terminated the initial recognition agreement in 2019 after it was deemed obsolete.
The TSC stated that Knut’s membership had dropped sharply and that it was no longer recognized as a teachers’ union.
This comes as a group of angry teachers (Teachers Pressure Group) has taken on union officials, demanding that they resign for failing to represent the interests of their colleagues.
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According to the group, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) leadership is comprised of politicians and retirees, whereas the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) leadership is compromised.
If the Knut and Kuppet leadership refuses to step down, the group wants to be allowed to form a union.
