Kenya lecturers threaten to go on strike as doctors’ strike enters its second month
Kenya Public University lecturers have threatened to go on strike if the government fails to implement a salary increment deal agreed in 2013.
According to the Citizen, University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) members gave a seven day ultimatum yesterday, making the deadline Thursday (19th) next week. University staff will withdraw their services after those days since the government would have failed to honor the deal.
University unions have accused the government of ignoring their grievances which include better payment and working conditions.
The government of Kenya is currently dealing with a country wide doctors’ strike which has entered its 40th day. The doctors’ are demanding a 300 per cent salary increase as well as improvement of their working conditions. The doctors have declined to resume duty despite a 40 per cent pay hike deal offered by the government, vowing to stay put until their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) also signed in 2013 is implemented in full.
A Kenyan Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KPMDU) officials to finalise negotiations with the government within two weeks and also call off the strike or face being jailed for one month.
