Remit union dues or else, Knut warns TSC

 

The Kenya National Union of Teachers has warned their employer of dire consequences if it cannot resume remitting members' subscription fees. 

Knut secretary-general Wilson Sosion said the union will bring down the Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia if they continue to violate court orders.

The union is currently facing a financial crisis after TSC refused to remit members' subscription cash. The commission has also systematically decimated Knut's membership to about 34,000 from about 190,000 three years ago. 

Currently, Knut leadership is mobilising its members to pay fees directly to the union to stabilise its services without depending on TSC. 

Sossion said the constitutional rights that TSC is enjoying at the moment were fought for through Knut in 2017.

“It’s not right for our employer to use our own sweat to frustrate us after giving them constitutional powers,” he said.

He said the union was formed in 1958 and it was able to compel the colonial government to address their issues so TSC cannot frustrate them.

“We are the most respected and organised union in this country and we have never failed in our move,” Sossion said.

He said it is time teachers stood in solidarity and hold TSC accountable in complying with court rulings.

Sossion said the court had ruled that teachers should be promoted automatically on experience, performance and qualification but the TSC has refused.  

He said if TSC continues to frustrate the union they will call on International Labour Organization to sanction it. 

“We shall even frustrate this BBI [Building Bridges Initiative process] if President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga don’t come out and protect us from TSC,” Sossion said.

He spoke in Vihiga county where he oversaw Knut branch elections on Saturday.

“TSC should not blame us for the failed laptop project by the Jubilee administration,” he said.

Sossion said teachers were not trained on ICT and most schools were not connected to power hence giving them a hard time to achieve laptop projects.

He said poor planning has been a major reason why most of the activities under the Ministry of Education have failed.