Teachers' Strike Is Called Off

By Kariuki Waihenya, The Nation (Nairobi), 6 January 2001

Nairobi - In a surprise turn-around, the Kenya National Union of Teachers yesterday backed out of a strike threat and called on its members to report for duty on Monday.

The union officials directed all teachers to report to their stations when the new school term opens on Monday.

Acting Secretary-General Francis Ng'ang'a said the change of heart followed successful negotiation with the government over the two thorny issues - the transfer of teachers and implementation of salary awards outstanding from the 1998-1999 financial year.

Mr. Ng'ang'a said the union's national executive council had directed the national officials to suspend the strike "until further notice".

"We will now engage in meetings with the relevant government authorities in a bid to reach a lasting solution to the contentious matters," he said. "We are optimistic we will be able to reach a solution agreeable to both parties without having to resort to industrial action."

The union's top brass met key officials of the Teachers Service Commission on Thursday, where the controversial transfer of teachers was reviewed. The TSC also undertook to pursue the implementation of the salary awards with the "relevant Government department" - the Treasury.

The strike would have been hampered by the fact that, despite a long-standing threat, no logistics had been put in place to pull off a successful boycott countrywide. Coming hot on the heels of a long vacation, it is unlikely that the teachers would have the will to sustain a strike.

Although the teachers carried off a successful strike in 1997, which led to a government commitment to a salary rise of 150 to 200 per cent, a follow-up boycott called in 1998 failed mid-stream due to apathy.

The latest strike threat was issued during the union's annual delegates conference last month. The union told its members not to report for work in January unless the government rescinded the proposed mass transfer of teachers and implemented the 1997 salary award.

Although the huge salary award was agreed upon and gazetted 1997, the government only implemented the first phase. It has since argued that it does not have sufficient funds to implement the remaining four phases.

Though the union has held out the threat of a strike since November, it did not issue the requisite 21-day notice to the Labour Minister and another seven- day notice of industrial action.

According to Teachers Service Commission boss Benjamin Sogomo, the transfers had been finalised and there were only 753 cases to be reviewed on merit. The country has a shortfall of 6,000 teachers, but Mr. Sogomo ruled out the possibility of lifting the ban on employing more teachers on the grounds that some areas were overstaffed. But Nyanza Province, for example, has a shortfall of 3,000 teachers.

Yesterday, Mr. Ng'ang'a said the government had shown a willingness to address the issues "with an open mind, unlike in the past, and we therefore urge our members to be patient".

But he insisted that the staff crisis could not be solved through transfers, arguing the government must move fast and lift the embargo on employment.

The salary demand involved the implementation of the four remaining phases of the pay rise awarded by the Teachers Service Remuneration Committee.

The first schedule, which involved a salary increase of between 25 and 45 per cent, was concluded in 1998. But the government shelved the remaining portion, citing a poor economy.

At the same time, the union cautioned the National Council Association of Parents against misleading unemployed teachers that it was capable of recruiting them. Only the TSC was mandated by law to employ teachers in public schools, Mr. Ng'ang'a said. He cautioned parents and teachers against the proposal, which he described as "false and most suspect".

Mr. Sogomo welcomed the withdrawing of the strike move, terming it "wise and in the interest of the children". He added: "The decision is also in our interest as the employers. We employ teachers to work.

It will also facilitate a conducive atmosphere for dialogue."