Inside varsity lecturers’ demand for pay rise

Uasu Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga joined by the officials addressing the media at the Bunge Tower Nairobi on November 12, 2024.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Lecturers in public universities have tabled a fresh proposal the 2025-2029 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that would see the lowest paid staffer (graduate/research assistant) earn a basic salary of Sh86,594 and highest professor Sh580,144, at full implementation of the CBA.

The document by also proposes increases for the house, car, commuter allowances and other allowances paid to universities academic staff.

The new demand proposal has been prepared by the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and sets the basis for negotiations with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum.

It comes just a few months after a nationwide strike by lecturers last year that paralysed learning in public universities.

The demand proposal lays the foundation for a new battleground between lecturers and the government considering that the 2021 – 2025 CBA has not yet been fully implemented even after several strikes to force the government’s hand.

The pay increment proposal which is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, if signed, has been spread over the years until June 30, 2029.

Currently, the graduate assistants/research assistants fall under job Grade 10A band D5 and earn a basic salary of Sh63, 647. This is set to rise to Sh68, 739 from July 2025 and Sh74, 239 from July 2026, Sh80, 179 in July 2027 and Sh86, 594 in the subsequent year.

An assistant lecturer/tutorial fellow/junior research fellow in Grade 11A, Band E1, currently earning Sh107,872, will get Sh116,502 from July this year, Sh125,832 from July next year, Sh135,889 from July 2027 and Sh146,761 in July 2028.

A lecturer/research fellow in Grade 12A band E2 earning Sh121,928 will go home with Sh131,683, from July 2025, Sh142,218 from July next year, Sh153,596 in July 2027 and Sh165,884 in July 2028.

Senior lecturers/research fellows in Grade 13A in Band E3 earning Sh154,739 will from July 2025 earn Sh167,119, Sh180, 489 from July next year, Sh194, 929 July 2027 and Sh210 524 the following year.

Uasu has demanded that an associate professor in Grade 14A in Band E4 currently earning Sh193,182, be paid a basic salary of Sh208,637 from July this year, Sh243,355 from July 2027 and Sh262,824 in 2028.

A full professor who is currently earning a basic salary of Sh224,631 will take home Sh242,602 from July, Sh262,011 from next year, Sh282,972 from July next year and Sh305,610.

“Annual increments shall be awarded across the grades for the period from July 1, 2025 up to June 30 2029 at an average rate of six per cent of Basic Salary subject to respective salary grade ceiling,” said Uasu secretary-general Dr Constantine Wesonga in the proposal.

In the document, the union wants the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to include the proposal in their 2025 – 2026 Financial Year Budget.

Dr Wesonga said the incremental date for employees will be January 1 of every year for staff appointed and report for duty between January 1 and June 30.

For house allowance, Uasu proposes that professors and research professors earn Sh116,028 up from the current Sh73,715, associate professor/associate research professors Sh104,426 up from Sh66,344, senior lecturers/senior research fellows Sh92,822 up from Sh58,972, lecturers/research fellows Sh87,020 up from Sh55,286.

The union proposes a house allowance of Sh81,220 for lecturers/tutorial fellows/ junior research fellows, up from Sh51,601. Further, it wants graduate assistants/teaching assistants/research assistants to earn a house allowance of Sh55,692, up from Sh35,383.

Car and commuter allowance shall be paid monthly to teaching members of staff with professors and research professors earning Sh60,000 up from Sh50,000, associate professor/associate research professor Sh60,000 up from Sh40,000, senior lecturer/senior research fellow Sh60,000 up from Sh32,000.

“Lecturer/research fellow Sh60,000 up from Sh24,000, assistant lecturer/tutorial fellow/junior research fellow Sh60,000 up from Sh20,000, graduate assistant/teaching assistant Sh60,000 up from Sh20,000 and part timers getting Sh20,000 from Sh15,000,” reads the document.

Other allowances in the demand include professorial allowance which shall be paid monthly to teaching members of staff and book and ICT allowance to be paid annually to teaching members of staff.

“Annual leave allowance shall be paid annually to teaching members. Non-practice allowance shall be paid monthly to teaching members of staff who are registered professionals in any field,” reads the document. Uasu proposes a risk allowance paid monthly to teaching members of staff who are exposed to various risks and hazards that could negatively impact their health over time.

The Union says the allowances should be paid as guided by government or regulatory circulars.

“The beneficiaries shall include staff working in laboratories and workshops in the fields - medicine and veterinary, nursing and public health, agriculture, wildlife, environmental, forestry and natural resources; engineering and technology, botany and zoology, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, microbiology, computer and ICT, hospitality, nutrition and dietetics,” the document reads.

Lecturers will also earn an extraneous allowance, which shall be paid monthly to teaching members of staff who work long hours, have extra responsibilities or are exposed to physical or mental stress.

The beneficiaries shall include teaching staff working in the following areas – medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy as well as teaching staff in administrative positions. The Uasu members shall also get a daily subsistence allowance when they attend to official assignments away from their local duty stations within the county.

In case of death of member of staff, the family of a member of the academic staff serving on permanent and pensionable or contract terms who dies while in service shall be paid death benefits in accordance with the Pension Scheme Rules and provisions.The family shall also be paid 96 months of the gross salary the member was earning, as per group life insurance policy.

In addition, the employer shall meet the following expenses, three months gross salary in the case of a member with more than two years and service.

“Two months gross salary in the case of a member with more than one year but less than two years and service. One month and gross salary in the case of a member with less than one year service. Eighty thousand shillings towards purchase of a coffin,” says Uasu.

Uasu has proposed mandatory retirement age for graduate assistant, Grade 11A tutorial fellow/assistant lecturer, junior research fellow, to be 70 years whereas Grade 12A lecturer/research fellow, Grade 13A senior lecturer/senior research fellow, Grade 14A associate professor/associate research professor, Grade 15A professor/research professor, shall be 74 years.

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