Kenyan lecturers have called off the nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Monday, August 30, over unpaid salary enhancement arrears.
The Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Secretary-General Constantine Wasongo said they suspended the striker to allow for dialogue with the government.
“UASU National Executive Committee has consequently directed that the Union suspends its strike notice to give a final chance for dialogue,” said Wasonga.
The decision to suspend the industrial action was arrived at on Sunday during a crisis meeting between the union’s top officials and the Principal Secretary for University Education and Research, Simon Nabukwesi.
The union also met the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) under the auspices of the National Implementation Committee (NIC) over the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The Secretary-General noted that the NIC has agreed that all public universities immediately submit to it returns for purposes of audit and enforcement of the compliance with the 2017-2021 CBA.
Uasu also wants the Employment and Labour Relations Court issued on August 26 be reviewed. The case was filed by the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF).
The strike notice was issued on August 23, 2021, over unpaid $800 million.
“All the public universities and their constituent colleges shall withdraw their labour and shall not resume duty until the UASU-IPUCCF 2017-21 collective bargaining agreement is fully implemented,” said Uasu.
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