Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Alfred Mutua has urged workers unions to exercise patience and allow dialogue to take effect, amid growing strike threats.
Mutua in a press statement issued on Friday, August 16, 2024, said stated that he was deeply concerned over the strike notices that have been issued by various workers unions.
The former Tourism CS who landed the Labour docket recently following President William Ruto’s changes in his Cabinet, says the newly appointed CSs are currently being briefed on various issues in their ministries.
Mutua on dialogue
Mutua says he he has been in discussions with the new CSs, to engage in dialogue as soon as possible to address the concerns raised by various unions.
“As the new Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, I wish to express my deep concern regarding the currently announced strikes. The newly reconstituted Government of President William Ruto is committed to servant leadership, where our primary role is to listen to and act on the will of the people.
“This is the essence of our democracy, and this is what Kenyans expect. The new Cabinet Secretaries are quickly being briefed on various issues, and I have been in discussions with them to engage in dialogue as soon as possible to address the concerns raised by various unions. I urge the unions to allow a little time for the new Ministers to review these issues and engage with them promptly,” Mutua’s statement reads in part.
Mutua on country’s situation
Mutua went ahead to point out that the workers unions should look at the country’s current economic, social, and political situation, and accept to embrace dialogue.
“I am confident that the unions, which represent the interests of workers, are aware of the current economic, social, and political situation in the country. I believe they are patriotic and forward-thinking and therefore urge them to embrace dialogue,” Mutua stated.
Mutua on looming teachers’ strike
He further notes that he has been in talks with Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) leadership, to try and avert the looming teachers’ strike.
Kuppet’s National Governing Council (NGC) met 0n Thursday, August 15, 2024, at the Kasarani Gymnasium and announced that the teachers’ strike will kick off on August 26, 2024, when schools will be reopening for a third term.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori said the decision is informed by TSC’s failure to honour their deal.
However, Mutua says Ministry of Education and the TSC are actively holding internal consultations on the unions’ concerns, and a way forward is forthcoming.
The former Machakos County governor also states that his team is overseeing negotiations between the Ministry of Education and University Academic Staff Union (UASU) leadership, to avert a looming strike.
UASU has issued a seven-day strike notice over delayed and incomplete salary payments, which may paralyze academic activities in all public universities.
“In the spirit of amicable and pragmatic resolution of industrial issues, I have been in talks with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), KNUT, and KUPPET leadership. I am aware that the Ministry of Education and TSC are actively holding internal consultations on the unions’ concerns, and a way forward is forthcoming.
“Similarly, our team in the Ministry is already overseeing negotiations between the Ministry of Education and UASU leadership, and they will update me in a few days,” Mutua stated.
Mutua believes that go-slows and strikes should be the last resort, after all else has failed.
On August 15, 2024, Mutua announced that the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), had considered suspending their strike following a dialogue.
