Strike Ends After CS Labour Brokers Deal Between Public University Unions and Employers
The deal will see universities pay enhanced monthly basic salaries, with increments ranging from 7% to 10%
A two-week strike that had paralyzed learning in public universities nationwide has officially ended following successful negotiations led by Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Alfred Mutua. The strike, which involved university lecturers, non-teaching staff, and various workers’ unions, concluded after an intense day-long meeting at the Ministry of Labour headquarters, bringing much-needed relief to thousands of students and staff.
The negotiations, which had stalled for weeks, saw the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), and three major unions—Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals, and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA)—finally reach a deal. An inter-ministerial committee, comprising representatives from the Ministries of Education, Treasury, Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), and Labour, also participated in the discussions.
In a key outcome of the talks, the unions agreed to a return-to-work formula that ensured no victimization of striking members. The deal will see universities pay enhanced monthly basic salaries, with increments ranging from 7% to 10%. Moreover, an automatic 4% annual salary increase will be implemented over the two-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) cycle, from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025. The retirement age for academic staff, including graduate assistants, tutorial fellows, and assistant lecturers, will now be harmonized at 70 years.
KUSU members will similarly benefit from the 7% to 10% salary increments, while the retirement age for non-academic staff, including those in teaching laboratories and university libraries, will be standardized at 65 years.
KUDHEIHA’s members, representing workers in non-academic roles at universities, will see a 10% pay increase, a significant achievement for the union. Speaking after the agreement, KUDHEIHA representatives hailed the move as a “major win” for their members, who have long pushed for better compensation.
Dr. Mutua, addressing the media following the signing of the agreement, assured that the Ministry of Labour is committed to preventing future strikes by proactively addressing workers’ concerns. “We will work to ensure that strikes are nipped in the bud and that issues raised by employees are addressed in a timely and effective manner,” Dr. Mutua said.
The inter-ministerial committee will continue meeting for one month starting October 1, 2024, to address outstanding issues, including the harmonization of allowances, medical coverage, internal CBAs, staffing levels in public universities, and budgets for promotions, car loans, and mortgage schemes.
This resolution marks a critical step in restoring stability to Kenya’s public university system, which had been significantly disrupted by the industrial action.
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