Sossion says Knut intact despite row

Economy

Sossion says Knut intact despite row

Wednesday, August 28, 2019 20:46

By EDWIN MUTAI

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) says none of its members has quit for other trade unions following a standoff with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over implementation of collective bargaining agreement and withholding of Sh280 million in union membership dues.

Secretary-general Wilson Sossion accused TSC and unnamed individuals of orchestrating what he termed propaganda following a loss of a case at the Labour Relations Court.

He said the claims that Knut members were quitting the union for other trade movements were "a pack of lies aimed at diverting attention of teachers to non-issues."

Mr Sossion said the exact position was that none of its members had quit and this was supported by a ruling as issued by the Employment and Labour Relations Court.

He was responding to reports that more than 18,000 school principals and deputies have quit the giant union in the last three weeks following fallout over a pay increment meant to have taken effect in July.

The senior teachers, who have joined the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), are among those earmarked for a Sh13 billion pay rise in the third phase of the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement. “Our membership is intact. On July 26, TSC lost an appeal and out of this anger, it moved and put on hold Sh140 million of union dues that should have been remitted to Knut,” he said.