Despite a court order directing lecturers to stop the on-going strike and resume work, the unions have vowed to carry on, saying they’ll challenge last week’s ruling which found their strike illegal.
“The union will not waver in its pursuit for the negotiation, signing and implementation of the CBA. IPUCCF has neither tabled a counter-proposal nor made any efforts over two weeks down the line to solve the current crisis,” said UASU deputy Secretary general Aggrey Osogo.
The unions are accusing their employers of trying to frustrate their efforts by dividing and intimidating them using the court orders and other schemes.
“Since 2006 CBA negotiations in public universities have been associated with misrepresentation and nefarious schemes to discriminate and disenfranchise the staff. We strongly condemn the use of courts by the employer to drive a wedge between and among us,” said Osogo.
The union’s treasurer, James Makori said that its members will withdraw labour in the few departments that have been functioning since the strike began on March 3.
“The union has decided to intensify the strike and all departments including catering, libraries, transport and medical facilities within public universities will be shut,” he said.
He maintained that the strike will be on until the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement is negotiated, signed and implemented.
