M.Sc. in Plant Biotechnology

www.educationnews.co.ke

JUNE 1 - JUNE 14, 2021

Teachers demand release of Sh32bn in new CBA

By Osborne Ben

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion has asked the National Treasury to release Sh32 billion Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) funds recommended by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

Speaking in Kitale, Sossion said the government has to end its habit of disrespecting CBAs and court orders on matters affecting the trade union which fights for teachers’ welfare.

“We want National Treasury to dispatch the money as agreed since it is our right. We are committed to ensuring the welfare of teachers is taken care of,” he said during a Rift Valley KNUT Council meeting and elections.

He accused the government of stifling the union which has led teachers to desert it thus crippling it financially.

He, however, promised that the union will soldier on despite the harsh economic times.

“We are going to come out stronger than ever as a union. TSC should not treat us as a militia group since we are a professional body and our mandate is in line with the International Labour Rights,” he said.

Sossion accused Teacher Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia of undermining the union and going against the Constitution which protects the existence of trade unions and the freedom to champion the interests of their members.

The secretary general also exuded confidence that the union will soon have its Annual Delegates Conference and elections, dismissing calls to have the voting exercise done virtually in line with Covid-19 health protocols.

“The union will not undertake virtual national delegates conference but is preparing for well co-ordinated National election guidelines while observing Covid-19 protocols where voting will be in person,” noted Sossion.

He said he is confident of retaining his seat following his massive support across the country, dismissing alleged plans by certain individuals at the TSC who want to influence the outcome of the elections. “I have no doubt in my mind that the teachers will re-elect me as the secretary general of this great union when the elections will be held. We want to re-organise and come back stronger than ever,” he said. The union will convene its Annual Delegate’s Conference (ADC) next month upon expiry of the 60day notice given by the secretary general on April 22.

The delegates have not met for two years, a situation that is blamed on lack of funds.

The cash-strapped union will now hold the mandatory elections with teachers keen on how the sour relations with their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will be resolved. Sossion was accompanied by Assistant National secretary Edwin Binge.

His opponents accuse him of fuelling the deteriorating relations with TSC, which has seen members miss out on promotions and pay rises since July 2019 on the basis of a contentious court ruling. Branch officials and employees have also gone without pay for months as income from members’ contributions continues to dwindle.

At its strongest moment in June 2019, the union had 187,471 members who contributed Sh144 million monthly to run its affairs.

In January, the union received only Sh15 million from 23,000 members.

During the elections, Musere John from Trans Mara was elected as region chairman, Arusei Kipchumba from Eldoret as secretary, John Cheberi from Chepkoilel, Treasurer. Betty Lang’at and Grace Keter as Women Representatives.

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion addressing the media

in Kitale after Rift Valley Regional Union elections. Photo/ Osborne Ben

We want National Treasury to dispatch the money as agreed since it is our right. We are committed to ensuring that the welfare of teachers is taken care of - Sossion

By Roy Hezron

Former University Academic Staff Union (UASU) National Chairman and long serving UASU Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) Chapter Prof. Sammy Kubasu is making a return in the union’s national leadership by eying the Secretary General seat.

Prof. Kubasu, who has now changed his name to Prof. Kubasu

Kwashe seeks to oust the current sitting Secretary General Dr. Constantine Wasonga in the union’s national elections slated for June 23, 2021 at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu.

Speaking to Education News recently, Prof. Kubasu said he is going to make a follow-up on the 2013-2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to ensure its full implementation.

“When I was the National Chairman, all our CBAs which we negotiated and signed were implemented, this one is not implemented. My team and I signed four (4) National CBAs and negotiated several Chapteral CBAs,” said Prof. Kubasu.

He added that “The fifth (5th) National CBA 2013 – 2017 was ongoing in negotiations. Those CBAs have greatly changed the welfare, appearance and standing of the

Don in society.” Most recently, UASU Secretary General Dr. Wasonga accused varsity heads of exclusion and secrecy in the implementation of the Sh6.6 billion lecturers pay

deal, which the government offered as part of the 2017-2021 CBA which is supposed to benefit about 32,000 staff in 39 public universities.

Under the CBA, university staff are expected to get a salary increment of between 5.75 to 6.27 per cent annually for the period of 2017-2021, with basic salary structure which covers a four-year period and is aligned with implementation of job evaluation results for public universities.

Prof. Kubasu added further that since the Office of Secretary General is major office of implementing various policies and activities of the union, it requires a person with good lobbying and negotiation skills which he already has, having achieved a lot while he was serving as the national chairman since 2005 to 2017.

“That office requires somebody who is foresighted, properly connected with lobbying skills which I have had in this union for nearly 15 years and I am thinking that Iam wasted when I am not in that level of negotiations. Lobbying skills, massive and diverse networks are what UASU needs to move to the

next level. I think the responsibility of UASU dwindled when I left,” he added.

Prof. Kubasu stated that he will basically embrace dialogue, lobbying and negotiations for university managements to pay pending statutory deductions, and remit the same regularly and timely to among others Saccos, KRA, and Pension; and pressurize universities to pay salaries promptly in order to allow members of staff to plan well.

According to Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (Sasra) report 2019, public universities and other tertiary institutions were accused of failing to remit members’ deductions to Saccos.

As per the report, the highest proportion of total non-remitted deductions are owed by public universities and tertiary colleges, and since there are five deposit-taking Sacco societies whose membership are directly drawn from the public universities and tertiary colleges, it severely impair the ability of these SAC COs to

Kubasu, Wasonga to battle for UASU top seat

Dr Constantine Wasonga, UASU Secretary-General. Dr Sammy Kubasu, MMUST UASU Chapter Chairman.

meet their financial obligations to members, as well as their financial stability.

“The highest proportion of the total non-remitted deductions amounting to Sh2.86 billion, representing 74.03 per cent of the total non-remitted deductions was owed by the public universities and tertiary colleges,” affirms Sasra in its report.

In resolving troubles associated in the appointment of the Public universities Vice-chancellors Prof. Kubasu said using his connection within various parliamentary committees notably for education and research and Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC), he will submit UASU memorandum suggesting the amendment to the current University Act 2012 that will allow VCs to be subjected to vetting.

“My team and I negotiated for competitive sourcing of Vice Chancellors and College Principals in public universities. If elected NSG, I will vouch for vetting of holders of these offices,” stated Prof. Kubasu.

Prof. Kubasu served for 13 elective years as UASU national Chairman and is the longest serving UASU MMUST Chapter since 2009 to date, and he is remembered as one who formulated the Union motto “Education Liberates.”

In addition, in collaboration with the team during his reign he negotiated the inclusion of Graduate Assistants as a Job Grade 10, complete with salary and house allowance, and formed working linkages and networking partnerships both locally and internationally through forming affiliations to the Trade Union Congress of Kenya (TUC-K) in which he was one of the three elected National Trustees, the Education International (EI), American Labour Solidarity and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

In 2019, Prof. Kubasu chaired a National Executive appointed committee which worked out a policy proposal on criteria for employment and promotion of academic members of staff which was later presented to Commission for University Education (CUE).