Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Baringo branch Executive Secretary Mr. Joshua Cheptarus has slammed the proposal by the government to deduct 3 per cent of teachers’ salaries to support the national housing plan.
The unionist, who addressed journalists at the branch offices in Kabarnet, said that the government has failed to honor their demands for a long time, among them salary increment signed in the Collective Bargain Agreement of 2016.
He said the teachers oppose the said 3 per cent housing levy on all public civil servants as per Employment Act No. 11 of 2007.
While defending teachers, the union boss said teachers have heavily invested in loans to build houses at their rural homes and that they were not interested on owning houses in urban areas.
“We will only embrace the directive if government heeds our call to increase our salaries by 150 %. But with the current economy teachers will bear the brunt because they are hugely depended upon by the society,” said Cheptarus.
He added: “This is a surest way of robbing teachers their dues leading to financial constraints. Government should resist attacking pay slips of our teachers and find other avenues to support the ailing housing sector.”
By Alfred Kimosop
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