Lecturers have issued a fresh strike threat for next Wednesday, accusing the government of failing to honor the Return to Work Formula (RTWF) agreed upon in September.

The agreement, reached on September 26, promised members of the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union salary increases of between 7% and 10%, effective from October.

This pay raise was intended to cover the remaining two years of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and was supposed to be implemented from July 1, 2023.

The unions had initially called off their strike after negotiations brokered by the Ministry of Labour led to the signing of the deal.

Speaking at the UASU offices on Tuesday, Secretary General Constantine Wasonga accused the government of reneging on its commitment to pay their basic salaries with the agreed-upon salary increments.

“We want the public to know we won’t hesitate to call another strike next week. I invite you [the media] to join us next Wednesday to hear the union’s next steps,” Wasonga stated.

The union had initially called off their strike after negotiations led by the Ministry of Labour resulted in the signing of a Return to Work Formula (RTWF).

The agreement promised a salary increase of 7% to 10% for the remaining two years of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), with the pay hike effective from July 1, 2023.

Lecturers have now threatened to go on strike again next Wednesday, accusing the government of failing to honor the September deal.

The agreement, signed on September 26, was intended to provide salary increments for members of the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union.

Speaking on Tuesday at the UASU offices, Secretary General Constantine Wasonga claimed the government had reneged on its promise to increase their basic salaries.

“Let the public know we won’t hesitate to call another strike next week. I invite the media to be here next Wednesday to hear the union’s direction,” Wasonga stated.

He added, “If they do not implement this CBA by midnight on Tuesday, be here, I will be here.”

The union had first went on strike on September 11 before reaching the RTWF agreement on September 26 through Labour Ministry mediation.

Wasonga urged union members to prepare for a prolonged strike, warning that they would only return to work once the salary increments had been deposited in their bank accounts.

“And this time, once I call our members out, they will only return once the money is in their accounts. Don’t test us,” Wasonga cautioned.

Negotiations for the 2021-2025 CBA have been ongoing since the unions submitted their proposals on September 4, 2020.

Under the agreed terms, assistant lecturers’ pay was set to range from Sh107,872 to Sh166,072, while professors were to earn between Sh224,631 and Sh345,816.

Additionally, Graduate assistants were to receive between Sh63,647 and Sh97,988.

“By next Tuesday, universities should have issued our members with payslips reflecting the 7% to 10% increment,” Wasonga concluded.

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