University staff calls off strike

Written By:KBC Reporter,    Posted: Thu, Sep 20, 2012

The lecturers under the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) downed their tools on 6th September Kenya's public universities' lecturers strike was called off Thursday. This was after the government awarded them a 33.1 percent salary hike and a 14.27 percent increment on their house allowance. Both increments will be backdated to the 1st of July 2012. The breakthrough came after chaos rocked parts of the city centre as University of Nairobi frustrated by missing lessons for nearly two weeks, went on the rampage stoning motorists and engaging police in running battles. As the students wreaked havoc, talks between the striking lecturers and the vice chancellors' committee to end the strike hit the rocks prompting the lecturers to storm out and seek audience with the labor minister. The lecturers under the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) downed their tools on 6thSeptember demanding better pay. UASU Secretary General Muga K'Olale said the government had unnecessarily delayed the Comprehensive Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that expired in 2009. The Universities Non-teaching Staff Union (UNTESU) Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya also called on the workers not to return to work until their demands for a 200 per cent salary increase is granted. Meanwhile the teachers' unions maintained their rejection of the 13.5 billion shillings offered by the government to harmonize their salaries with that of civil servants it three phases. As KNUT officials met parliament's implementation committee to compel the government to honor its part of the deal, they accused the government of making promises it does not intend to honor. This came as churches in Kenya and the parents association urged the government to explore all avenues available to end the ongoing strikes in the education and health sectors.