UoN to get lion’s share of Sh6.6bn salary raise

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In Summary

The University of Nairobi will get the biggest share of the Sh6.6 billion that the government has offered staff in higher learning institutions as part of their 2017-2021 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The move will see a total of 32,000 staff in public universities get a pay rise after Parliament approved the payment in a supplementary budget last month.

The University of Nairobi, with 4,500 staff members, will get Sh1.2 billion, Kenyatta University Sh677million, Moi University Sh610 million, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Sh547million, and Bomet University College Sh11 million.

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) appeared before the Labour and Employment Court for hearing of the case which has been pushed to June 8.

Universities are now expected to pick letters from the Education ministry outlining disbursement of the funds for the three financial years: 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020.

“Stay tuned and avoid talking too much about the CBA now,” said Uasu Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga in a letter to the lecturers.

The deal is part of the disputed Sh8.8 billion 2017-2021 CBA signed between unions and universities' management in October 2019.

Implementation was to start in November 2019 but was delayed because the government had not factored the pay rise in its current budget.

SALARY CUTS

The money will benefit members of Uasu, Kenya University Staff Union and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions Hospital and Allied (Kudheiha).

At the same time, Uasu has filed a case challenging the decision by Egerton and Kisii universities to deduct money from employees’ salaries.

The universities announced salary reductions of between 30 to 40 per cent on grounds they had not received money from the Treasury.

Egerton University Vice-Chancellor Rose Mwonya said the institution was unable to generate enough funds.

“The university management board resolved that … staff in grade One to Four receive full net salary while those in grades Five to 19 will get 60 per cent of their net pay and the balance will be settled as soon as funds are available,” Prof Mwonya said.

Kisii University Vice-Chancellor John Akama said: “In ordinary times, this deficit would have been offset by the money raised from students. Since universities are closed, we have not received any cash.”

Maseno University has asked employees to take voluntary pay cuts beginning this month.

At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, non-essential employees have been directed to go on leave until the virus crisis is contained.