Teachers’ unions reject the new 2021-2025 CBA offer

Citizen digital | April 23, 2024 | TSC News Portal | No Comments

A new 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) counter offer by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been rejected by teachers’ unions. A meeting convened by the Commission did not bore any fruits; meaning that teachers will have to wait a little bit longer for the new salary increments.

Instead of a salary hike for teachers, TSC instead reviewed the maternity and paternity leave days. According to details from the discussions, female teachers will now ‘enjoy’ an enhanced maternity leave of 120 days; up from the current 90 days.

On their part, male teachers will now proceed on a 21 days’ paternity leave; up from the current 14 days.

The Commission has at the same time offered a preadoptive leave for teachers adopting kids plus a promise to fast track promotions of teachers in arid and semi-arid areas.

Also in the TSC basket of ‘goodies’ for teachers is a transfer allowance for teachers; equivalent to one month’s salary.

But, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers – KUPPET, and Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) have jointly rejected this offer by TSC; terming it a joke of the century.

Addressing the media after the collapsed talks, Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori said teachers want nothing short of a salary increment. Misori says teachers will have to down their tools in the new term; if a new CBA would have not been signed by then.

On her part, TSC Boss Dr Nancy Macharia has urged the tutors to accept the offer saying the economy can not support a salary hike due to the ripple effects of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Already, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has freezed salary increment for teachers and other public servants; for a period of two years.