It seems the government isn’t in a talking mood when it comes to the lecturers strike as it has escalated the row between it and the lecturers by directing universities to punish any lecturer who fails to report to work tomorrow.
Strike Unprotected
The government’s directive comes after the Employment and Labour Relations court on Friday upheld orders declaring the strike illegal and directed the lecturers to resume duty on Monday (tomorrow).
In his ruling, the judge faulted the lecturers for deliberately failing to attend conciliation meetings to resolve the dispute stated in their strike notice.
Lecturers maintained they will continue with their strike having filed an appeal seeking to quash orders requiring them to return to work.
Nation reports the Judge justifying the order requiring them to get back to teaching by saying; “I am not satisfied that lecturers have demonstrated that they will suffer substantial loss if they stay is withheld, if in the unlikely event they succeed in their appeal, they will be free to continue with the strike if the conciliation fails to resolve the dispute,”
“On the other hand, if the appeal fails the strike will have inflicted untold suffering on the innocent students and other stakeholders, it is after careful evaluation of the balance between interests of the lecturers and the impact of the continued job boycott that I have declined to grant the stay orders sought.”
You’re Making Negotiations Difficult
The Inter-Public Universities’ Council Consultative Forum yesterday said the continued defiance of court orders by lecturers was making it difficult for negotiations on the 2017-2021 CBA to begin in earnest.
“Therefore, IPUCCF urges the management of public universities to take stern action on staff in their respective institutions who do not report on duty on Monday as directed by the Employment and labour Relations court.” the
IPUCCF chair said.
The UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga on his part urged lecturers not to be intimidated by threats of being fired saying they’ll be protected by a return-to-work formula.
