Saturday, September 22, 2012

Return-to-work formula to end the teachers’ strike


By Augustine Oduor and  Jacob Ngetich
Cabinet’s carrot-and-stick approach to the recent wave of labour unrest may yet succeed in ending the largest of three public sector union strikes.
The top decision making organ of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) meets on Saturday to decide on whether to call off a crippling teachers’ strike that has run for close to three weeks. Knut National Executive Council meeting comes two days after the Government offered Sh13.4 billion in a three-phase deal, but also threatened mass sackings if teachers failed to resume classes.
While Knut and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers maintained that they would take nothing less than a one-off payment,they suggested they could consider payments in two installments.
On Friday evening Knut officials met Teachers Service Commission chiefs at TSC headquarters in Nairobi for talks understood to be trying to work out a return-to-work formula.
Meanwhile, the crisis in public health sector could deteriorate after striking doctors poured cold water on a Government offer to pay them increased allowances in a two-phase deal that would cost the State Sh1.9 billion.
Cabinet has also authorised emergency recruitment of strikebreakers to replace striking doctors and nurses.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union accused the Government of dishonesty and threatened to make further demands.
It emerged that consultants are considering withdrawing emergency services from all public hospitals to join their colleagues as a show of solidarity against alleged high-handedness by authorities.
A special meeting of the Knut Nec ratified the teachers’ strike on August 19. The action has paralysed learning in public schools since September 3. On Friday, Finance minister Njeru Githae expressed confidence the gap between the Government and Knut had been bridged substantially. He said they had narrowed down the contentious issues from 20 to three.

Win-win situation
“The talks are going on smoothly. We have had very sincere and frank discussions. We have understood their position; and they have understood our position; the gap that still remains is something that we can jump,” he said.
The minister was optimistic the NEC would call off the strike on Saturday. “We want to get a win-win situation for teachers, children in school, and the Government.”
The sticky issue is whether the Sh13.5 billion to harmonise teachers’ salary with those of civil servants should be paid in one installment as Knut demands or spread over 10 months.
With the Government outlawing the contested legal notice no 16 of 534; the only outstanding demand is harmonisation of salaries.
“We have learnt our lessons we are not going to conduct our negotiations in the media, but what I can say is that there is a possibility of our children going to school next week,” Githae said.
TSC Executive Officer Gabriel Lengoiboni said: “The talks are progressing well and we believe that things will go back to normal and children will resume learning as soon as possible.”
Earlier in the day during a meeting of the parliamentary committee on Education, Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno explained revenue constraints made it difficult to pay the amount at once. Otieno, a member of the Cabinet team set up to resolve the dispute, said revenue collection is Sh40 billion below target.
The Finance ministry, he added, will need up to December to monitor revenue collection before deciding which ‘part to chop’ to meet teachers’ demands.
The teachers’ unions were likely to agree to a two-phased payment, but asked for more time to go and consult.
 The Government has offered to spread the money in three phases backdated to July, with the last installment payable at the start of the next financial year. Some Sh4.5 billion would be paid in each phase.
Otieno told the committee the first phase would be factored in the October salaries if teachers accept the deal.
Pressed by a committee member MP John Pesa, the minister replied: “This monies will still have to be passed by Parliament. But we believe that the one month between now and when we expect to pay the cash is enough to take care of the disbursement logistics.”
Teachers argued that the Government could withdraw funds from contingency funds and submit a supplementary budget to pay off in one tranche. But Otieno said it would be setting a ‘dangerous precedent’.
“We should not treat this as a crisis yet. If we do so and make a mistake of accessing contingency funds it would result in misallocation,” he said.
“There has to be an emergency like effects of drought, floods or the case like in Tana clashes to access the contingency funds,” he added.
But Knut argued that due process was followed in making the demands, but the Government did not treat the efforts with the seriousness they deserved hence resulting into a crisis.
No agreement
The two unions asked for more time to consult before issuing a statement
“We have not agreed on anything, we need time to consult then we will get back to the negotiations. We are still trying to find a solution,” said a seemingly frustrated Knut chairman Wilson Sossion.
Asked whether there was a possibility the strike would be called off Sossion replied such eventuality was not close.
“We are not there yet, the negotiations are still on going and it gets to that point then we will inform you of the new developments,” he said.





No comments:

Post a Comment