University workers across Kenya have called off their nearly two-week strike after successful negotiations with the government.
The strike, which began on September 18, 2024, saw lecturers and non-teaching staff in over 34 public universities halt operations to protest unmet demands outlined in the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The strike significantly disrupted learning and university operations across the country.
The key issues behind the industrial action were delays in implementing the CBA, reduced government funding to public universities, delayed salaries, and the non-remittance of statutory deductions like pension contributions and insurance premiums.
Additionally, the unions opposed a new university funding model introduced by the government, which grouped students based on their socio-economic backgrounds. Union leaders argued that this approach was discriminatory and unfair to students from lower-income families.
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), representing academic and non-teaching staff, spearheaded the strike. UASU secretary general, Constantine Wesonga, expressed frustration with the government's handling of the CBA, noting that pay proposals had been submitted to the Inter-Public Universities Council Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) as early as September 4, 2020, but remained largely unaddressed.
The unions vowed to continue with the strike until their demands were met. Lecturers and staff at public universities downed tools, leaving students stranded, as classes were canceled, and university services halted. The strike affected thousands of students preparing for exams or starting their academic year.
On September 26, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua intervened, engaging with the unions and relevant stakeholders to find a resolution. Mutua led a series of negotiations, which involved officials from the Ministry of Education, the National Treasury, and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
During the talks, the government agreed to several key demands of the university workers, leading to the signing of a return-to-work formula. The agreement stipulated an enhanced basic salary for university staff, with increments ranging from 7% to 10%. Additionally, an automatic annual increment of 4% of the basic salary would be implemented throughout the duration of the CBA cycle, which runs from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025.
For non-teaching staff, represented by KUSU, a similar salary increment was agreed upon. The deal also addressed the unions' concerns regarding retirement ages, with the retirement age for academic staff, including graduate assistants and tutorial fellows, set at 70 years. Non-academic staff, such as those working in teaching laboratories and university libraries, will have a retirement age standardized at 65 years.
CS Alfred Mutua hailed the resolution as a significant step in ensuring public universities remain operational and workers' rights are respected. "We have reached a consensus that will benefit both the university staff and the students who depend on these institutions for their education," Mutua said after the deal was signed.
Image: FILE
Union leaders expressed satisfaction with the agreement, stating that the salary increments and improved terms of service would help ease the financial strain that many university workers had been experiencing. They also welcomed the harmonization of retirement ages, which had been a contentious issue during the negotiations.
With the strike called off, university staff have resumed their duties, allowing students to return to their classes and continue with their studies. This resolution brings much-needed relief to the education sector, which had been grappling with funding challenges, operational disruptions, and growing tensions between staff and university management.
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