No one will abuse teachers' rights anymore, declares Atwoli

Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli with Knut officials on Thursday, January 24, 2019. /COURTESY
Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli with Knut officials on Thursday, January 24, 2019. /COURTESY

Nobody will have control over you once you affiliate yourself with an outfit like Cotu, secretary general Francis Atwoli has said.

Speaking on Thursday after Knut joined Cotu, Atwoli said no one will abuse teachers' rights anymore.

"TSC should join the Federation of Kenya Employers immediately or else they will be rendered irrelevant," he said.

He said the government will now be able to

listen to Kenya's

working men and women after the partnership with Knut.

"We support you in the government...so support us as workers... if not, then we can also revolt and we are also in a position to determine what we want in any system.. be it in the employer or in government," Atwoli said.

Atwoli said as a union they will be

in a position to articulate pending issues including the ones in future together as an entity.

" We need to ask those unscrupulous employers to improve our CBA's so that we can move towards the same directions as Kenyans," he said.

"...and they must hear us. With our unity, we will not beg but demand for workers rights...an injury to one will be an injury to all."

"We speak without fear or favour

and what we have said has always

come to pass ...we will make sure that we are heard and whatever we demand is implemented," he said.

"The destiny of our country

shall be decided by working men and women. Our brothers in other quarters

should listen to us. We are going to be part and parcel of an organ of that will shape shaping our national image culture and traditions."

The Cotu boss said the labour movement in the country has been professionally managed since they took over.

"We never interfere with the internal organization of our affiliates unless invited. There will be no working alone as Knut. We will work together and organise ourselves," he said.

Atwoli said they will remain united adding that he is always in his office and can be found whenever he is being sought by workers.

Earlier, Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion said the move to join Knut will unite all workers in the country,

More on this:

Knut pulled out of Trade Union Congress (TUC-Ke) in August 2018 following differences in labour issues.

Knut had hosted the congress on its premises since 2014 and threatened to slap it with rent arrears.

TUC-Ke had earlier raised concerns about Sossion's close association with Cotu and had written a show cause letter in April 2018.

Sossion, who was the TUC-Ke boss,

.

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