Court rejects lecturers, VCs strike deal

Members of the University Academic Staff Union and Kenya Universities Staff Union demonstrate in Eldoret town during day-three of their strike over pay on March 14, 2014. PHOTO/JARED NYATAYA 

In Summary

• the staff union agreed to call off the strike with immediate effect
• They dons are seeking that the university managements withdraw all cases related to the matter

By THOMAS KARIUKI
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A return to work formula by public universities staff was disallowed by a Nairobi Court until lecturers write an apology for defying an order prohibiting them from going on strike.

The consent was filed in court between Kenya universities Staff Union and the Inter- Public University Councils Consultative Forum, (IPUCCF).

“Until the University staff union writes an apology to this court, the consent will not be recognised by this court,” Justice Monica Mbaru said.

According to the consent tabled before court Tuesday, the staff union agreed to call off the strike with immediate effect.

They dons are seeking that the university managements withdraw all cases related to the matter as they implement a collective bargaining agreement of 2010/2013 using the modalities agreed upon.

“The employee pension contribution payments shall be computed from the Sh 7.8 billion disbursed for the collective bargaining agreement implementation,” the consent read.

According to lawyer Riunga Raiji, payment to eligible members of staff in job group one to 15 shall be effected in full on a date not later than May 30.

They further agreed that there shall be no victimisation on either party and that no employee shall suffer loss of the earnings over the period of the work stoppage.

The Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Kazungu Kambi witnessed the consent stipulating that the payment schedules shall not affect any staff.

The strike commenced on March 12 but was challenged by IPUCCF the same day. IPUCCF got court orders outlawing the strike.