Breakdown of How TSC-Unions CBA Affects Teachers Payslips
Teachers will receive their increased salaries by the end of the week as a result of the signing of an agreement between their unions and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) that provides the greatest percentage increase to the lowest-paid teachers.
The agreement, which was signed on Monday (August 28) at the Kenya School of Government, ranges from 7 to 9.5% and will be backdated to July 1, 2023, and spread out over two years. However, the unions have stated that they will continue to pursue their original demands.
These include increases in basic salaries and accommodation allowances for rural teachers, who will benefit the most as their allowances have been aligned with Cluster 3, which previously applied to teachers working in the former municipalities. Approximately 87 percent of instructors are employed in Cluster 4 rural areas.
When entirely implemented, the basic salary for the lowest-paid teachers (Job Grade B5) will increase from Sh21,756 to Sh23,830, plus a Sh3,850 housing allowance. The modifications won’t affect their commuter and leave benefits.
The newly proposed salary structure will promptly go into effect in the August payroll, according to TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, who was present with TSC chairperson Jamleck Muturi John.
Macharia assured teachers that the implementation of this structure would be retroactive to July 1, 2023. She further emphasized the TSC’s commitment to ensuring that teachers receive their salaries by the end of the current month.
The agreement was signed on July 13, 2021, as an addendum to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for 2021–2025, but it contained no monetary provisions. Last week, the unions refused to sign a proposed wage increase by TSC that would have increased compensation by between 2.4% and 9.5%.
The agreement was reached after secret negotiations and consultations with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) late last week. The Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers also endorsed the agreement.
In contrast to last week, when the commission met with all union officials at once, they met with them separately yesterday, but they were all present at the joint press conference.
Collins Oyuu, the general secretary of Knut, stated that an agreement has been reached that primarily aims to safeguard teachers from the adverse effects of rising inflation and heightened taxation.
He noted that Knut had consistently advocated for a significant sixty percent increase, but the current agreement has secured a ten percent rise. Oyuu expressed gratitude towards the President and the TSC for this achievement and conveyed the union’s intention to continue pursuing the remaining fifty percent increase.
Oyuu emphasized that this accomplishment is not taken lightly and holds considerable significance for teachers.
He also advocated for the payment of acting pay to instructors serving in administrative positions in an acting capacity. Numerous educators are currently functioning in interim capacities as institution heads or deputies.
The TSC advertised 36,275 openings for promotions in various grades last week. As of yesterday, the commission was awaiting the outcome of negotiations before processing August teacher pay.
| Grade | TSC Scale | Cluster 1 | Cluster 2 | Cluster 3 | Cluster 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B5 | 5 | 6,750 | 4,500 | 3,850 | 3,850 |
| C1 | 6 | 10,000 | 7,500 | 5,800 | 5,800 |
| C2 | 7 | 16,500 | 12,800 | 9,600 | 9,600 |
| C3 | 8 | 28,000 | 22,000 | 16,500 | 16,500 |
| C4 | 9 | 28,000 | 22,000 | 16,500 | 16,500 |
| C5 | 10 | 35,000 | 25,500 | 18,000 | 18,000 |
| D1 | 11 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 | 21,000 |
| D2 | 12 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 | 21,000 |
| D3 | 13 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 | 21,000 |
| D4 | 14 | 50,000 | 35,000 | 25,000 | 25,000 |
| D5 | 15 | 50,000 | 35,000 | 25,000 | 25,000 |
Ms. Macharia stated that payment would be made on Thursday.
Nancy Macharia, the CEO of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), revealed that negotiations have been resumed to bring a sense of industrial harmony to the education sector.
This ongoing process, which had commenced several months ago, has now been successfully concluded through transparent and open discussions. In a statement, Ms. Macharia expressed her contentment in announcing to the nation and the teaching community that an agreement has been reached.
However, the parties agreed to establish joint technical committees to address issues not resolved at yesterday’s meeting. A review of the career progression guidelines used by the TSC to promote instructors is one of the issues. The model has been blamed for preventing career advancement, particularly for non-administrative instructors.
According to Akello Misori, the General Secretary of Kuppet, during the negotiations, the union vehemently opposed the decision of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to impose a cap on teachers at grade C5.
Misori stated that once all the relevant data has been shared, the matter will be revisited through administrative channels.
According to Misori, the union and the Commission have initiated a structured dialogue aimed at addressing the various emerging matters related to the execution of the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
He noted that certain concerns, including those pertaining to school staffing, trace their roots back to the 2016–2017 CBA.
In 2019, the unions presented their salary increase proposals to the employer in advance of collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations, but their demands were never met due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the cashless CBA. Kuppet wants a 30 to 70 percent pay increase, while Knut wants a 60 percent raise.
Breakdown of How TSC-Unions CBA Affects Teachers Payslips
