KNUT calls off Nationwide Strike as Talks with Government Continue

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has officially called off the nationwide teachers' strike that was set to begin on Monday, August 26. The decision came after a marathon meeting of KNUT's National Executive Council (NEC) on Sunday, where union leaders deliberated on the way forward.

In a statement released by KNUT Secretary General Collins Henry Oyuu, the union revealed that it had decided to retract the strike notice, which was due to expire at midnight on August 25. "The NEC has today, August 25, 2024, agreed to withdraw the strike action notice which was elapsing at midnight August 25, 2024, as we have commenced addressing the remaining matters administratively. In light of the latest developments, we direct our teachers to resume duty effective Monday, August 26, 2024," the statement read.

KNUT calls off Nationwide Strike as Talks with Government Continue

The union's decision followed careful consideration of various factors, including the government's and the Teachers Service Commission's (TSC) responses to the teachers' demands, as well as the broader implications for the country's education sector. Despite some reservations about the steps taken so far, KNUT expressed cautious optimism that there is genuine intent to address the issues raised.

Key among the union's demands are the permanent employment of 46,000 Junior Secondary School teachers, the promotion of 130,000 teachers, the immediate implementation of the second phase of the 2021/2025 amended Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and the prompt remittance of third-party deductions to their respective organizations.

In response to these demands, the TSC informed KNUT that it had already promoted 51,232 teachers, remitted the third-party deductions, and was in the process of implementing the amended CBA. However, KNUT remains skeptical about the sufficiency of these measures but has opted to suspend the strike while continuing to pursue the outstanding issues.

"Meanwhile, we assure our members that the union is committed to resolving the matters at hand. Should these efforts fail, we shall revert to our initial position, as the strike notice has only been withdrawn, not canceled," KNUT warned.

As teachers prepare to return to work on Monday, all eyes will be on the ongoing negotiations to see if the government and TSC can fully meet the union's demands, thereby averting further disruption to the education sector.