JKUAT staffers threaten to strike over failed CBA implementation

Three workers' unions represented at the Jomo Kenyatta University have threatened to go on strike if their demands are not met.

The unions; UASU, KUSU, and KUDHEIHA want the management to fully implement the national 2017- 2021 CBA by Tuesday.

UASU Secretary General JKUAT Chapter Shadrack Muya noted that the institution should follow the example of 22 other universities that have implemented the agreement fully.

Speaking during the unions meeting at JKUAT, Muya faulted the administration for neglecting their needs as service providers.

“Enough is enough, we cannot keep doing slave labour, other universities have gone diagonal and are being paid their salaries as per the CBA, why not JKUAT?” Muya said.

The staff called for ‘diagonal payment and not horizontal payment.’

KUSU Organizing Secretary JKUAT Chapter Nickson Chege accused the administration of paying the staff ‘wrong’ salaries that were being paid four years ago.

“What happens in this university is that they took all the staff to the notch they were in July 2017 and transformed them just across the table,” Chege said.

He noted that salary increment is a legal component among the terms and conditions noted in their job contract.

This means; their salaries should have a yearly increment and not constant salaries as is being implemented currently.

Other demands they had included, medical scheme, over-taxation, and staff dependent fees waiver.

Universities that have failed to implement the CBA include Moi University, Rongo University, Technical University of Kenya, and Egerton University.

Another 22 public universities have fully implemented the 2017-2021 CBA agreement, a UASU official has revealed.

The government released Sh2.2 billion capitation in July for lecturers to receive enhanced salaries.

In the 2017-21 CBA, the lowest paid academic staff (graduate assistants and research assistants) earn Sh57,729 while the highest-paid academic staff are professors, who earn Sh283,087.