Kuppet and Knut are having intense argument
Kuppet and Knut are having intense argument
Kuppet and Knut are having intense argument
The two main teacher unions are eager to battle to regain the trust of their membership and establish their dominance over the employer.Regarding the ongoing proposed changes to the Teachers Service Commission Act, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) have firmly taken opposite stances.
It is already becoming apparent that the unions, smarting from the humiliation of the non-monetary Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) they signed two years ago, which caused them to lose favor with their members, have a new front in the fight to change the TSC Act.
When the TSC summoned stakeholders in education to a public discussion on the proposed revisions to the Act last week, new feelings were expressed.Knut was the first to open fire on TSC by announcing they will not be present at the meeting. The proposed legislation amendments were criticized by Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu at the media briefing on the eve of the meeting, characterizing the consultation gathering as “short on notice and punitive to teachers.”
He further highlighted specific points of objection to each of the contested clauses. “If you look at the draft proposals, page by page, it is very punitive to teachers. We are not ready to be scolded anymore,” Mr Oyuu said.
A similar outburst spattered from Kuppet secretary general Akello Misori. Though Kuppet officials honoured the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) consultative meeting, they stood firm against the teachers’ employer.
Mr. Misori criticized TSC for its push for increased authority and accused it of being overbearing. You don’t want to address the core issues; instead, you want a lot of authority. Even though we created you, you act arrogant. We are not come here out of fear because you would not exist under the Constitution and you would be nowhere. We are here to establish our case, stated Misori.The statements made by Misori and Oyuu revealed the tensions that exist between the unions, which appear to have experienced years of repression and are now losing the chance to advocate for their members.
The overt disobedience portends a new battle between the two unions over teacher membership, as their long-standing tactics of outwitting one another to win over new members are once again employed.
With an embarrassing non-monetary CBA emerging after nearly two years of passive boardroom negotiations, it appears that the two teachers’ unions are attempting to seize control of their territory by openly defying the TSC.Interviews with representatives of both unions show that a battle for membership is developing as they try to seize the chance to prove their mettle and win over new members.
In their submissions, Knut and Kuppet listed their points of departure with the employer on the proposed amendments.Kuppet faulted TSC for not involving them on salary reviews in its proposed amendments. Misori accused TSC of failing to include the unions in determining pay for teachers, in its proposed amendments.
The overt disobedience portends a new battle between the two unions over teacher membership, as their long-standing tactics of outwitting one another to win over new members are once again employed.With an embarrassing non-monetary CBA emerging after nearly two years of passive boardroom negotiations, it appears that the two teachers’ unions are attempting to seize control of their territory by openly defying the TSC.
Interviews with representatives of both unions show that a battle for membership is developing as they try to seize the chance to prove their mettle and win over new members.
