Striking lecturers ignore court ruling ordering return to work

Learning in public universities will be paralysed for the third week running after lecturers vowed to remain on strike until they secure better pay, ignoring a court ruling that ordered them to return to work.

The top decision making organ of lecturers’ union Uasu said they will seek to overturn Friday’s court ruling that termed their strike illegal.

The Employment and Labour Court on Friday declared the strike unprotected, prompting some institutions like Kenyatta University to recall students.

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) maintained that they are not ready for conciliation and instead want a counter-offer from the government before resuming classes.

“We are not happy with the ruling and that is why we are going to challenge it on Monday,” said Uasu secretary-general Constantine Wasonga in the company of top union officials.

The government has said it will table an offer once the vetting of the payroll of 31 public universities is completed, suspecting the presence of ghost workers.

READ: Ghost workers delay end of lecturers strike

The public university lecturers went on strike on March 1 over low pay, nearly three months after ending a similar protest. They want Sh38 billion for a pay agreement covering the four years starting July 2017 to 2021.

Already, the Inter-Public Universities Councils’ Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) has warned that those on strike will not be paid their salaries for days not worked. The forum is made up of vice-chancellors or heads of universities.

“They have boycotted work yet they still want to be paid,” said forum chairman Paul Kanyari, adding universities will not be comfortable paying the striking staff.

The lecturers are also demanding services available to other public servants like car loans and higher quality medical insurance.

Uasu chairman Muga K’Olale said university staff are supposed to negotiate with their employers, but the management had abdicated the role to deputy vice-chancellors.