University workers strike demanding pay rise

Workers at the Technical University of Mombasa (Tum) have downed their tools to demand the implementation of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed with government.

The workers under the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya Union Staff Union (Kusu) and Kudheiha accused government of failure to implement the 2021-2025 national CBA.

In a joint statement, the unions vowed to withdraw their labour until their demands are met.

Speaking at Tum in Mombasa county, the workers noted that the Sh.273 billion allocated under the current phase was yet to be released to universities.

“The CBA which was signed and registered was to be implemented in phases. The remaining arrears were to be settled in two instalments; FYs 2025/2026 and 2026/2027. The amount which was allocated for the current phase is Sh2.73 billion. The government is yet to release the amount to various universities for implementation,” they protested.

The statement was signed by UASU Tum chapter secretary Prof Jesiah Odalo, Kusu branch secretary John Ogwang and Kudheiha shopsteward Joseph Musyoka.

They noted that the government has partially settled the arrears from the 2017-2021 national CBA despite a court of appeal ruling on March 28 this year directing that the arrears be paid as per the CBA provisions.

 At the same time, the unions accused government of failure to jumpstart negotiation and conclude the 2025-2029 national CBA.

“This is in degfiance of the return to work formula of 2024 which gave the timeframe on the CBA negotiations and final registration,” said in the statement read by Prof Odalo.

Odalo said they were in a similar strike in September last year but the government was not keen to comply with both the agreement with workers’ unions and court directives.

The workers said the strike was not about them but about justice, equit and the future of the education sector.

“We remain open to dialogue and meaningful resolution, and shall not return to work until the government address our demands satisfactorily,” they noted.