The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi has halted the secondary school teachers’ strike initiated by the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) until further notice on September 5.
The court issued the injunction on Tuesday following an urgent request from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) filed on August 26.
Justice James Rika stated that the injunction will remain effective until the court reviews the matter on September 5.
“Until the application is heard and decided, the court has granted a temporary injunction preventing KUPPET, its officials, members, employees, or any other representatives from withdrawing labor or participating in the planned strike starting August 24, 2024, or at any future time,” the judge announced.
The court also directed the TSC to serve the Respondent and Interested Party, who will then have seven days to submit their responses.
The TSC’s court action followed the start of a nationwide strike by KUPPET-affiliated teachers on Monday, driven by unresolved issues.
KUPPET has vowed to continue the strike until the government addresses its demands, in contrast to the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), which has agreed to a government request for more time to address its concerns and has called off its strike, directing teachers to return to work for the third term.
Both unions had planned strikes set to commence on Monday.
The teachers’ demands include implementing the second phase of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement, promoting teachers, making Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers permanent, and reinstating their medical coverage. The government argues that these issues should not justify a strike.
KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu stated that the union will address unresolved teacher concerns through administrative channels.
“The NEC, after considering all options and the commitment levels from both the Government and the TSC, has directed the Secretary General to withdraw the strike notice,” Oyuu said.
KNUT’s strike was called off amid uncertainties regarding the conversion of 46,000 intern teachers to permanent status and the hiring of 20,000 additional teachers to address shortages.
The union also expressed concerns over the lack of a clear timeline and framework for teacher promotions, noting that while TSC confirmed the promotion of 51,232 teachers, there was no commitment regarding the remaining 78,768 teachers.
