Lessons teachers can learn from lecturers' class of hardball tactics

 

With about 11,000 academic staff, Uasu has in recent years has taken over as a major sore in the foot of the government as they exert pressure on their terms. [File, Standard]

Lecturers are emerging as an increasingly influential force in the education sector, using prolonged industrial action and hardline negotiations to push the government into making concessions on pay and other grievances.

The approach adopted by the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has stood in contrast to the soft stance taken by teachers’ unions, which in the recent past have largely preferred negotiations despite persistent complaints over career progression, medical cover, delayed payments and other workplace concerns.

With about 11,000 academic staff, Uasu has in recent years taken over as a major sore in the foot of the government as it exerts pressure on its terms.

Its disputes with the State have been marked by prolonged strikes and demands for firm commitments before members return to work.

The union’s battles since 2021 have largely centred on implementation of the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), salary arrears, statutory deductions, healthcare and pension concerns. A 26-day strike between October and November 2024 resulted in the National Treasury allocating Sh4.3 billion through supplementary estimates towards implementation of the agreement.

In 2025, lecturers staged another strike that lasted 49 days, paralysing operations in 42 public universities.

The standoff ended with a tripartite commitment involving the Ministry of Education, Treasury and university management, including Sh7.9 billion towards salary arrears and measures to address the non-remittance of statutory deductions.

Lecturers are now back on strike over the stalled 2025–2029 CBA, extending a pattern in which Uasu has maintained pressure until the government makes concrete commitments.

The experience has raised questions about the bargaining strategy of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), particularly as teachers face a series of unresolved grievances.

The 2021–2025 teachers’ CBA stood out as one of the most criticised agreements, which initially had no salary increment, despite pressure from teachers for better pay.

Instead, it concentrated on non-monetary benefits, including increasing maternity leave to 120 days and paternity leave to 21 days

The agreement also incorporated the Career Progression Guidelines, which have remained a source of frustration among teachers who say they have stagnated in the same grades despite acquiring higher qualifications.

Nearly a decade after the guidelines were introduced, teachers continue to demand changes to the promotion structure.

In 2023, the unions and the Teachers Service Commission established a technical team to review the guidelines.

More than three years later, teachers are still waiting for a substantive outcome.

Medical cover under the Social Health Authority, delayed promotions and other grievances have since added to the concerns.

Previously, Kuppet leaders have raised concerns over the issues in the sector and threatened to call industrial action.

In April 2024, the union threatened a nationwide strike over the promotion of teachers who had stagnated in the same job groups.

Secretary-General Akelo Misori said many teachers had remained in one grade for years and warned that the union would call a strike if the Teachers Service Commission failed to address the problem.

“We will call for a nationwide strike to push the TSC to streamline teachers’ promotion in the country,” Misori said.

In August 2024 Kuppet again issued a formal seven-day strike notice.

The union warned that teachers would down their tools on August 26 if its grievances, including promotions, medical cover and the implementation of the second phase of the CBA, were not resolved.

Misori, however, said the union remained open to negotiations.

“The notice will expire on August 25.

‘‘In the meantime, we remain available and committed to taking part in any negotiations to mutually resolve the issues we have raised,” he said.

The August dispute eventually went into industrial action, but the union suspended the strike after reaching an agreement with TSC just a week later.

This followed TSC's decision to withhold the union dues that support the union's operations

Misori directed teachers to return to class pending implementation of the agreement.

“From the union side, we suspend the strike and ask all our teachers to go back to class pending the speedy resolution of this matter as already agreed upon between us and TSC,” he said.

The settlement included commitments on the 46,000 interns, teacher promotions, medical cover and recruitment of additional teachers.

The union again threatened action in March 2026 over problems with teachers’ medical cover under the Social Health Authority.

Kuppet gave the Social Health Authority (SHA) seven days to address complaints over teachers being detained in hospitals because of unpaid bills and difficulties accessing treatment.

Misori said the new system had failed teachers and warned against forcing members to raise money for medical bills.

The division among teachers’ unions has not helped as they seem to read from different scripts despite experiencing similar problems.

With three different fronts, Kuppet, Knut and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers, the unions lack of common approach has undermined the collective force to meet the employer with their demands.