Knut declares teachers’ strike on January 2, 2019
Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has issued a strike notice over alleged violation of labour rights by their employer.
Knut said the job boycott, which may see all public schools fail to re-open, will start on January 2, 2019.
“Merry Christmas… but we can’t promise you that the new year will start well… parents should adjust their budgets very well because Christmas will be extended into the new year,” Knut chairman Wilson Sossion said on Wednesday.
Mr Sossion, in a televised press conference, accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of “de-professionalising the teaching profession”.
He cited TSC’s failure to promote teachers as one of the four reasons for the strike notice addressed to Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani.
TSC, he said, had refused to move teachers up the the job-grade ladder based on merit, qualifications, long service and exceptional performance in their work.
Mr Sossion said Knut was also angered by TSC CEO Nancy Macharia’s decision to transfer more than 3,000 head-teachers “irregularly”.