TSC Faces Stalemate as KNUT Ultimatum Expires Without Counter-Offer on Teachers CBA.
Negotiations for the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between KNUT and TSC have reached a standstill after the seven day ultimatum issued by KNUT on 1st July 2025 expired on 8th July 2025 without TSC presenting a formal counter offer.
According to KNUT officials, the ultimatum lapsed without any offer being presented by TSC. The previous CBA which governed teachers’ remuneration, benefits and career progression frameworks expired on 30th June 2025 and therefore the teaching workforce is now without a binding agreement.
KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu said they have not received any counter offer despite the ultimatum having expired. He added that TSC had indicated they will meet Kuppet on 20th July 2025 and will present a consolidated counter offer during that meeting.
“We haven’t received any offer yet but talks are ongoing; there’s a breakthrough in sight. TSC said they will meet our counterparts (Kuppet) on 20th July 2025 and we believe that’s when the offer will be ready for all of us. When we met last week, they said they will call us back but I told them, ‘Put it in writing, we need proof,’” Mr Oyuu said.
KNUT has faulted TSC for convening a negotiation meeting on 1st July 2025 but failed to table any proposals. The union accused TSC of frustrating the negotiation process through lack of preparedness and transparency.
KNUT warned they will not accept any non-monetary CBA. “We are getting a breakthrough but if we don’t agree we will register a dispute but we are far from registering a dispute. But we are not receiving or signing any non-monetary CBA this year. That’s impossible,” Mr Oyuu added.
Registration of a trade dispute with the Ministry of Labour is a statutory requirement before any industrial action by the union.
Knut has also expressed displeasure at being left out of the 20th July 2025 meeting between TSC and Kuppet, calling it a snub to its members.
Kuppet Secretary-General Akello Misori confirmed the upcoming meeting. “We had a productive and consultative meeting, TSC has suggested a follow-up and for the conclusion of the CBA we agreed we are meeting again on or before 20th of July because of consultation in government and that meeting is supposed to review all the issues we had presented and our expectations are high,” Mr Misori said.
Knut’s 2025-2029 CBA proposals are as follows:
- A 60% salary increase for teachers in the lowest job groups.
- About 50% salary increase for teachers in higher job groups to address inflation and historical wage disparities.
- 30% increase in hardship, commuter and house allowances.
- Risk allowances for science teachers.
- Overtime compensation.
- Incentives for teachers who attain postgraduate qualifications.
- Enhanced medical insurance benefits with teacher participation in scheme management.
- Structured promotion pathways to address career progression and favouritism.
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Knut officials said no further negotiations would be entertained unless TSC presents a formal counter-offer addressing the union’s monetary demands and structural proposals.
“Teachers have suffered enough. We must be told the truth. We shall not entertain games and if the commission thought it would be business as usual, they are mistaken. The only item on the table must be the counter-offer. The entire teaching fraternity must understand this. Everyone else came prepared today. It felt like we were starting from scratch, yet we’ve waited for years,” Mr Oyuu said.
TSC Faces Stalemate as KNUT Ultimatum Expires Without Counter-Offer on Teachers CBA