University staff threaten to down tools over CBA
Kusu Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya.
Non-academic staff at public universities have threatened to go on strike after their employers failed to implement the 2017/2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Members of the Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) are also demanding to be paid their full salaries.
“Money was released in two tranches. (Some) Sh6.6 billion was the first tranche which was released in July last year. The second tranche, Sh2.2 billion, was released last month. The CBA should be implemented fully if there’s anything else we do not know,” said Dr Charles Mukhwaya, Kusu secretary-general.
Speaking at a press briefing in Mombasa, union officials said they want vice-chancellors to fully implement the CBA as signed in 2019.
Dr Mukhwaya said the government had already disbursed money to universities to implement the agreement.
“The money has been received by universities but nearly all the institutions of higher learning are yet to implement the CBA,” he said.
“However, those that have implemented the CBA have done so in their own way, different from the agreement between the social partners and mutually signed,” he insisted.
Dr Mukhwaya warned universities about inconsistent application of the CBA.
“We do not want to hear any disunited and misinformed implementation by these universities. We are aware that the government disbursed funds to universities to fully implement our CBA but the employer is yet to remit our dues,” he added.
They accused universities of withholding part of their salaries and paying them below what was negotiated.
