Isaiah Bikhal
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) is demanding over 100 per cent salary increase from its employer Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPPUCF) agreed in the proposed 2022-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) dated July, 2020.
They are also asking for increased medical cover, car loans and mortgage scheme for its members among other benefits hammered in the same deal.
“UASU seeks to negotiate the items as per the registered 2020 recognition agreement registered with the Employment and Labour Relations Court,” the UASU statement read.
Among the areas listed for increase include basic salary, retirement age, car loans and mortgage schemes, medical benefits, annual leave, promotions, book allowance, housing allowance, professorial allowance and any other terms that may be mutually agreed upon between the two parties.
The demand comes in the middle of ongoing litigation between UASU and IPPUCF over the chaotic implementation of the 2017-2021 CBA with complains from the membership over the huge discrepancies in payment of arrears and implementation of the 2020-2021 pay.
The Union seeks to raise the highest basic salaries of Professors from Sh283,087 to Sh494,415, Associate Professors from Sh250,668 to Sh408,184, Senior Lecturers from Sh206,563 to Sh336,993, Lecturers from Sh160,357 to Sh276,218, Assistant Lecturers from Sh139,915 to Sh229,694 and finally Graduate Assistants from Sh82,442 from Sh189,66.
UASU proposes raising house allowance as follows: Professors from Sh73,715 to Sh116,028, Associate Professors from Sh66,344 to Sh104,426, Senior Lecturers from Sh58,972 to Sh92,822, Lecturers from Sh55,286 to Sh87,020, Assistant Lecturers from Sh51,601 to Sh81, 220 and Graduate Assistants from Sh35,383 to Sh55,692.
The Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has declined to review the basic house allowances for nniversity staff in the last two CBA cycles of 2013-2017 and 2017-2021 and retained the existing house allowance structures.
Dons are also demanding for comprehensive non-contributory in-patient and out-patient medical schemes to cover the employee, spouse and up to 5(five) dependent children under the age of 25 years.
UASU also proposes the formation of a Medical Scheme Management Committee with equal representation from both union and management in case a medical scheme is formed.
The lecturer’s representatives also propose a car loan and mortgage scheme facility open to all members of staff in the public universities in Kenya and their constituent colleges for car loans and housing mortgages at one per cent (1%) rate of interest per annum.
The demand proposal signed by UASU Secretary General, Dr. Constatine Wasonga and UASU Chair, Prof. Muga Kolale also tackles the retirement age issue, which was expunged from the recently signed 2017-2021 CBA following court directives.
The union proposed a mandatory retirement age is set at 75 years and voluntary retirement age 50 and they are hoping that all the stakeholders will this time agree on the matter as was directed by the court
