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COTU TO MEDIATE TSC-KNUT TEACHERS’ PAY RISE AND PROMOTIONS ROW; LATEST TSC NEWS
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In a nutshell;
The Teachers Service Commission received Sh 54 billion to pay teachers and increase their salaries but KNUT members were sidelined on grounds of the contested Schemes of Service.
COTU has since written to the Labour Secretary Simon Chelugui requesting him to convene a meeting to address the discriminatory promotions and salary increments’ criteria being used by the Teachers Service Commission, TSC.
The umbrella trade union COTU now wants Labour CS Simon Chelugui to address the controversy surrounding teachers’ pay rise and parallel payrolls created by the teachers’ employer, TSC that appears to discriminate KNUT members.
The Central Organization of Trade Unions, COTU on Wednesday wrote to the CS asking him to convene a meeting to discuss the unfair promotions in the teaching service and subsequent pay rise.
The meeting is set to bring together COTU, TSC, and KNUT officials who feel aggrieved by the Commission after its members were denied promotions and better pay this month.
In the letter, COTU secretary general Francis Atwoli expresses concern over the widening conflict between TSC and KNUT that would jeopardize the industrial peace so far experienced in the teaching sector for the past few years if not addressed soon.
“Indeed, if left unaddressed, the situation is likely to degenerate into a serious threat to the country’s industrial peace, “said Atwoli.
KNUT WARNS TSC AGAINST SOWING DISCORD
At the same time, KNUT warned TSC against sowing unnecessary confusion pertaining to the implementation of the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA by seeking to abolish the recognition and promotion of teachers based on higher academic qualifications.
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PROMOTION OF P1 TEACHERS BASED ON HIGHER ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
KNUT secretary general Mr. Wilson Sossion made it clear that an attempt by the Commission to abolish the old Schemes of Service is a direct ticket to the abolishment of the promotion of teachers based on higher academic qualifications.
According to Sossion, this will demotivate and demoralize teachers who have spent a lot of resources to acquire diplomas, degrees, masters, and PhDs.
“The Commission should not sneak in Career Progression Guidelines which have been nullified by the Employment and Labour Relations Court. It should promote teachers using the code of regulations for teachers,” said KNUT boss on Wednesday in Nairobi.
He further accused the Commission of using discriminatory and illegal ways to get back at KNUT members.
ARE KNUT MEMBERS ELIGIBLE FOR TSC PROMOTIONS?
Sossion also clarified that all KNUT affiliated teachers are eligible for TSC promotions.
“KNUT members are eligible for salary increment and promotions based on our signed CBA,” SAID Sossion.
KNUT treasurer John Matiang’i also said that it was extremely unfair to use teachers as arsenals in the war between TSC and KNUT.
“It is so heartbreaking to see innocent teachers suffering and being discriminated against by their employer using illegal documents,” said Matiang’i.
He further pointed a finger at TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia for plotting KNUT’s downfall by aiding the formation of splinter groups.
“We cannot have an employer who uses bloggers to incite teachers to leave KNUT and cripple the operations of the union,” added Matiang’i.
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