University Academic Staff Union (UASU) members have presented petitions to the Treasury and the Ministry of Education in Nairobi over the unfulfilled 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The lecturers have been on strike for the past four weeks, causing widespread disruption to academic activities across the country.
The union is demanding the full implementation of the CBA, which includes a salary increment of 7-10% and other benefits. Despite the government’s recent increase in allocation for the CBA implementation, UASU maintains that it is insufficient to meet the terms outlined in the agreement
The Labour Court has however intervened in a crisis, ordering both sides to return to negotiations and expedite discussions.
It has granted UASU 14 days to respond to a motion, and all parties must submit responses within two weeks.
Recently the government increased the return-to-work formula’s implementation allocation from Sh 1.6 billion to Sh 4.6 billion, aiming to facilitate it, but UASU claims this is insufficient to meet the terms of the CBA.
Over a dozen UASU officials at Moi University were suspended last week for their involvement in the industrial action, and lecturers were prevented from entering the university grounds, requiring them to hold meetings outside.
This action has been described as a clear attempt to intimidate union officials, according to the UASU branch secretary Ojuki Nyabuta who confirmed the suspensions.
“The officials had to hold their meeting outside the university gate after we were blocked from entering the campus by the management,” Nyabuta said, who revealed that more than 1,000 lecturers participating in the strike had received show-cause letters from the university management.
The 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) outlines the terms and conditions of employment for academic staff in public universities in Kenya.
The agreement includes provisions for salary increments, job evaluation, retirement age, medical benefits, annual leave, promotions, and other benefits.
The lecturers have been on strike for the past four weeks, causing significant disruption to academic activities across the country.
