UASU issues new demands to Ruto Govt
By Mourice Seretta
The Universities Academic Staff Union on Friday issued new demands to the government saying it will not relent until the demands are met.
Led by the union’s National Secretary General Constatine Wasonga, the union first demanded that they will ask the staff of Egerton University to down their tools on 16th of October if all their dues are not paid by the government.
Wasonga said it was unfortunate that even after there were calls to the government to act on the plea of the university to be heard, nothing has been done so far hence the decision to go on strike.
The union also said that they will not accept a two tier Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the government saying that going forward, they will demand for a harmonized CBA negotiations with the government.
‘That has been encouraging internal and external discontent in universities. We want to see that what a staff in the University of Nairobi and that of Kenyatta University gets from any CBA is the same. I am asking all branch officials to also understand that,’ Wasonga said.
Wasonga further stated that they will not renegotiate any past signed CBA with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) adding that it was time they were preparing to start to instead negotiate for a new CBA.
‘We also demand that all our staff in all universities have a uniform medical scheme,’ he said.
On matters pertaining to part time lecturers, Wasonga said that they are being underpaid in the various universities they teach and should negotiate for proper remuneration.
‘I am asking them to stop teaching if they are not going to get absorbed in the universities. No students is allowed to graduate without clearing fees. That means they are working in rich institutions that have decided not to pay them. Stop teaching,’ Wasonga bellowed.
He added that universities must also stop being asked to scrap some courses without involving the union.
Thye union also demanded that the government stops absorbing regular students into private universities saying that is enriching private entities.
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