Teachers aim for standing and detoxification allowance in new CBA

Ronald Tonui, KUPPET Assistant Treasurer says that only other professions have provisions for strenuous allowances, hence the same should be allocated to teachers.

He says the demand will be made in their new Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) that they will ink with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) next year. 

“Next year we must sign a new CBA with TSC. A salary increase is a must in the CBA. We also want something called standing allowance because this is a very strenuous job. Others are asking for extraneous allowances and given, but we are yet to be given any. Standing allowance must be in our payslips,” Tonui says.

Tonui also called on union members to come forward and suggest other proposals on issues that they would wish to be included in the new CBA that they are currently working on.

The Assistant Treasurer added that they shall also seek introduction of ‘detoxification allowance’ to science teachers owing to the dangerous chemicals that they are often exposed to during their practical lessons.

“Those teaching chemistry deal with very dangerous chemicals, and we need to be compensated for that. Detoxification allowance must also be introduced.”

He also pushed for introduction of ‘special duty or acting allowance’ arguing that the majority of teachers have been acting as Principals of various institutions but are never compensated for such role.

Mr. Tonui made the remarks during KUPPET Siaya branch Annual General Meeting in Siaya town where stated that the recent decision by their sister union KNUT to snub the nationwide teachers’ only strengthened KUPPET.

He stated that decision was a blessing in disguise for KUPPET since it provided them with opportunity prove their strength in the labor movement, adding they disapproved those who thought that they could not mount a strong countrywide teachers strike without the participation of KNUT.