The Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET) has petitioned the Controller of Budget to reject county budgets that fail to provide for the implementation of salary increments and the approved scheme of service for ECDE teachers.
KUNOPPET National Secretary Samwel Opiyo said the union had written to the Controller of Budget asking the office not to approve budgets from counties, including Nyamira, that have failed to factor in salaries for ECDE teachers as advised by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
Addressing union members at the Labour Office in Kisii County, Opiyo accused county governments of failing to implement the SRC advisory and ignoring the welfare and employment rights of ECDE teachers.
“I have written to the Controller of Budget not to approve the budget for counties like Nyamira which have refused to factor in the salaries of ECDE teachers. Any budget that is taken for approval which does not factor in the salaries of workers as advised by SRC should be declared illegal,” Opiyo said.
Appeal to the senate
He said the union would also petition the Senate to intervene and take action against county governments that fail to comply with the SRC advisory.
“We are now calling on the Senate, and we are going to petition the Senate. That is why we have brought in the Controller of Budget to help us by not approving budgets for counties which have refused to comply with the SRC advisory,” he said.
Opiyo further accused the Nyamira County Government and other employers of refusing to recognize KUNOPPET and failing to deduct and remit union dues from teachers who had voluntarily joined the union.
“The employer has refused to recognize the union. Further to that, they have even refused to deduct union funds from employees who have willingly joined the union. They have also failed to implement the SRC advisory,” he said.
KUNOPPET Nyamira Chairman Mose Kasimiri said the union had resolved to continue with the ongoing strike until the county government agreed to address the teachers’ grievances.
Kasimiri said Nyamira County had failed to implement the SRC scheme of service, particularly regarding salaries, job grading, and the promotion of ECDE teachers.
He noted that many teachers were still being employed on lengthy contracts without clear opportunities for promotion, despite guidelines issued by the SRC.
“We want to declare that the strike is on, and we are ready if they are ready to have dialogue with us,” Kasimiri said.
KUNOPPET Nyamira County Secretary General Elizabeth Momanyi said the decision by teachers to down tools was informed by pay discrepancies across different grades.
Momanyi said the union was demanding the full implementation of the SRC scheme of service to ensure that ECDE teachers are paid according to their qualifications and job grades.
The petition comes as more than 800 ECDE teachers in Nyamira County continue their industrial action, demanding improved salaries, implementation of the SRC advisory, recognition of their union, and better employment terms.
The union has maintained that it is ready for dialogue but insists that the strike will continue until the county government provides a clear commitment to implementing the teachers’ demands.
