Public Universities Face Total Paralysis After Workers Issue 7-Day Strike Notice

The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) on Wednesday, September 11 issued a 7-day strike notice that could see learning activities impaired in all 35 public universities as a new academic year begins. 

UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga Opiyo said all university council chairpersons were informed of the anticipated industrial action. 

“We have officially issued a Seven (7) day Strike Notice to Chairs of Respective Councils,” Wasonga said. 

UASU officials during a past press briefing. /X

On Tuesday, September 10, Wasonga revealed that he had convened a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that gave him the authority to issue the strike notice. 

“The national strike is going to commence officially on the 18th of September,” Wasonga spoke on Tuesday while in Kakamega. 

The lecturers could strike from next week over stalled negotiations of a 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that would see lecturers and varsity staff get salary increments. 

Wasonga revealed they first submitted their pay proposals for the CBA on September 4, 2020, to the Inter-Public Universities Council Consultative Forum (IPUCCF). 

He said since then, IPUCCF has been taking them in circles leading to no progress in negotiations for better pay. 

Additionally, the SG alleged that IPUCCF is conspiring with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to stall the progress of the negotiations. 

“The reason why we are doing this is because we have realised that IPUCCF and SRC are colluding not to allow us to commence a CBA,” Wasonga said, adding that SRC has introduced a factor never heard of before to make the negotiations difficult. 

“You cannot come up with a policy that’s going to affect negotiation midstream then you just want us to follow suit. And you cannot give an increment to a section of our members and leave a majority of our members uncompensated."

Other than the CBA, UASU are also decrying reduced capitation to varsities, delayed salaries, and failure to remit statutory and third-party deductions, including loans, pension contributions, and insurance premiums. 

They also oppose the new university funding model which was introduced in 2023.

University students during a lecture from the Kenya Defence Forces. /KDF