The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) through their Secretary General Constantine Wesonga has issued a seven-day strike notice.
In a statement dated Thursday, January 16, UASU issued the notice due to several unresolved grievances.
“Pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010; the Labor Relations Act, 2007; and, the Employment Act, 2012, the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), hereby issues a seven (7) day strike notice with effect from the date of this letter to the Technical University of Kenya Council,” the statement read.
According to the lecturer’s union they will go on strike on January 23 if their demands are not met.
“Take notice that from the 23rd January 2025 all academic staff shall withdraw their labor and shall not resume duty until the aforementioned issues are comprehensively addressed,” read the statement in part.
UASU Demands to Government
One of the key issues that the union wants to be addressed is failure by the government to pay lecturers their December 2024 salaries.
Additionally, UASU has raised concerns over the chronic and consistent delay in salary payments. The union claims that university management has repeatedly and unjustifiably delayed paying staff salaries, which violates the law and constitutes a clear breach of the Bill of Rights.
Also Read: Moi University Lecturers Announce Fresh Strike
Another pressing issue is the failure to remit statutory and third-party deductions. UASU states that this negligence has caused its members immense physical, mental, and financial distress, ultimately affecting their morale and productivity.
Further, UASU has called for the provision of a Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme, citing non-compliance with legal provisions. The union also seeks to protest the blatant violation of academic staff’s fundamental rights and freedoms.
Lecturers call off strike
UASU’s issue of a strike notice comes a month after it called off their strike on November 23, 2024, which lasted for nearly a month, following successful negotiations with the government that resulted in a return-to-work agreement.
Also Read: Moi University Strike Called Off
The agreement included the implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), valued at Ksh. 9.7 billion.
Part of the agreement included salary increments for university staff, addressing one of the core issues leading to the strike. at the time. These increments were to be backdated and included in the salaries for the specified period.
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