The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) have called off their two-week strike after agreeing on a return-to-work formula.
The strike had severely disrupted learning activities in public universities across Kenya.
“The Union shall immediately call off the industrial action upon the execution of this Agreement. As a result, the Employer shall withdraw unconditionally the Employment and Labour Relations Cause Number E780 of 2024 and parties shall bear their own costs,” UASU said.
The union said none of its members will be victimized.
“The Employees, represented by UASU in Public Universities and their Constituent University Colleges, shall collaborate with the Employer to establish a viable plan for recovering any teaching and learning time lost due to the strike,” it added.
Labor and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Alfred Mutua, intervened to resolve the deadlock, holding discussions with union officials to chart a way forward.
Dr. Mutua announced the formation of a special inter-ministerial committee tasked with addressing the unions’ concerns and finalizing the return-to-work agreement on Wednesday.
The committee will include representatives from the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Education, the National Treasury, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), public universities, the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC), and the unions.
“We cannot allow these issues to continue disrupting the education of thousands of students,” said Dr. Mutua. “My ministry is committed to ensuring fairness in negotiations, and it’s crucial that when Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) are signed, they are respected. If challenges arise, workers must be informed transparently and in a timely manner.”
More to follow
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