Uasu back in court
Uasu Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga (left) and chairman Muga K'Olale demonstrate in Nairobi last year. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Uasu is urging the Labour Relations Court to compel the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum to start discussions and implement the CBAs dated March 30 2017 and May 17, 2018.
- Pending determination of the case, the court has been urged to require IPUCCF to implement the harmonised criteria and guidelines for appointment and promotion of academic staff.
- Uasu has accused the respondents of reneging on the CBAs agreed upon leading to strikes.
The Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has filed a fresh case seeking over Sh38 billion in salary dues and other remunerations spread over four years from the government.
UASU is urging the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) to compel the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) to start discussions and implement the collective bargain agreements dated March 30 2017 and May 17, 2018.
The labour court is being called upon by lawyer Titus Koceyo to exercise its jurisdiction to force IPUCCF to set timelines within which the colossal sum shall be paid and concluded within four years (2017-2021).
Pending determination of the case, the court has been urged to require IPUCCF to implement the harmonised criteria and guidelines for appointment and promotion of academic staff in universities in Kenya dated October 2014 issued by the Commission of University Education (CUE) and promote the qualified persons to their proper positions.
The union has named IPUCCF, the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Cabinet Secretaries, Ministries of Education, National Treasury, Labour, Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the Attorney General as respondents.
Mr Koceyo is asking the labour court to register CBA proposals made by the union to respondents dated March 30 2017. He further states that Uasu presented its proposal during the stalled negotiations but IPUCCF had nothing to juxtapose with and compare with the claimants.
The dons say during the last strike IPUCCF presented a proposal to increase the salary “with a measly figure of 1.25%-1.75% for the four year period translating to annual increment of 0.435%.”
The union says the total increment was Sh5.8 billion payable within the four years.
Uasu has accused the respondents of reneging on the CBAs agreed upon leading to strikes that have crippled and interrupted learning in all the Public Universities for a long period of time.
A trial date will be set by the principal judge Lady Justice Maureen Odero.
