KUPPET Membership: BY DAILY NATION: More than 18,000 school principals and deputies have quit the giant Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) in the last three weeks in a fallout over a pay increment meant to have taken effect in July.
The senior teachers, who have joined the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), are among those earmarked for a Sh. 13 billion pay rise in the third phase of the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The school administrators decamped to Kuppet because it was not part of a court dispute that resulted in the stoppage of the implementation of the CBA for Knut members.
On KUPPET membership, Tuesday, Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori said the union had received 18,000 new members from Knut. He said those who had joined are headteachers, their deputies, principals and their deputies.
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During the signing of the CBA, administrators were the major beneficiaries of the Sh54 billion four-year salary deal.
The Ministry of Labour in an August 26 letter and addressed to TSC Chief Executive officer Nancy Macharia said it was aware of the stand-off.
“As the government’s main institution charged with the responsibility of maintaining industrial harmony in the country, the Ministry of Labour has carefully considered the issues raised in the Knut letter referred above and is of the opinion that the matter constitutes a receivable dispute in accordance with the provision of section 66 and 71(2) of the Labour Relations Act,” said the letter by Principal Secretary Peter Tum.
He went on: “In an effort to conciliate between parties, it would be appreciated if you could urgently favour this office with your brief on the matter preferably by Tuesday August 27.
However, Mrs Macharia in a letter to the PS dated August 26, said the matter was in court as Knut was only enjoying temporary orders to have the dues released.
“Accordingly, we regret to inform you that the matter being sub-judice, the commission is restrained from addressing the same outside court at the moment,” Mrs Macharia said.