A section of lecturers at the University of Nairobi have begun their strike over the failure by their employer to pay clinical Allowances.
The lecturers drawn from the Department of College of Health Sciences on Thursday said the aim of the strike is to demand the immediate reinstatement of their Clinical Allowances, and a framework that ensures that in future, the payments shall not be subject to the whims of Management.
Through UASU National Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga the lecturers condemned the unilateral withdrawal of payment of the allowances by the University of Nairobi in complete disregard of employment and labour laws.
Wesonga said the consequence of the strike is that unless the allowances are reinstated, the university's medical doctors, pharmacists and nurses will not graduate this year.
“This will have far-reaching effects in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and will derail the Universal Health Coverage Agenda of the current Government,” he said.
“As academic staff, we love our work and love teaching our students, but this industrial action has been forced upon us due to the reckless unilateral action of the employer to withdraw clinical allowances that have been part of our remuneration package for over twenty years”.
Wasonga said it is to be noted that funding required for the allowances was disbursed by the National Treasury in July to the University Accounts.
As such he said no additional funding is required.
Wasonga argued that academic staff in other Kenyan universities who are paid the same allowances are being paid without the obstacles at the University of Nairobi.
“The Union has given the University numerous chances to resolve the dispute through social dialogue, but the management has refused to implement even the conciliation agreement of 15th September 2020, which required the employer to pay all pending allowances within one week of the date of signing; and that any controversy over the meaning of the term “clinical services” be settled by a College committee,” he said.
According to him, the pending allowances have not been paid to the majority of academic staff while those who have been paid have been given reduced allowances.
“The few who have been paid the full amount are not certain whether they will be paid next time,” he said.
Wasonga said the academic staff at CHS is ready to discuss any emerging issues that affect the college and are ready to resolve them through constructive dialogue.
“However, due to the unresponsiveness of University management, and failure to pay the Clinical allowances, we, the academic staff, launch this strike to fight for our dignity. Henceforth, there will be no lectures, no clinical teaching, no supervision, no clinical work and no examinations whatsoever during the strike period,” he said.
Wasonga insisted the union will not be cowed by threats nor intimidations.
