UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga has insisted that the lecturers’ strike is still on and that lecturers won’t return to work until the 2017-2021 CBA is signed and implemented. This comes after the Employment and Labour Relations Court on Friday ruled against the lecturers’ strike, and teaching and lecturers were ordered to go back to work. However, UASU boss Wasonga said the case isn’t concluded yet, “Immediately we appealed that ruling, I don’t want to dwell on a case that is before a competent Court. We are compliant with CJ Maraga’s comments last week that if aggrieved by a Court order, then the aggrieved party is supposed to appeal,” he said.
He urged the IPUCCF (Inter Public Universities Council Consultative Forum) and the national government to take the lecturers’ strike seriously, “We have been treated to many excuses so far,” said Wasonga, “That there must be a staff audit, that universities have two payrolls. Another is that SRC has not done job evaluations.” He said over 600,000 students are currently suffering, “How I wish IPUCCF and the government could give this issue priority,” he remarked.
He added that IPUCCF has no power to tell lecturers to go back to work, and only the Union through the Secretary General. “This strike will last a long period unless government and IPUCCF give a counter offer sooner. We have asked our members to stay put as we fight for our rights and we believe our sacrifice will pay off in the end,” said the UASU boss. H was accompanied by UASU Chairman Muga K’Olale, KUSU (Kenya Universities Staff Union) Secretary General Dr. Charles Mukhwaya among other union officials.
