“Support Your Leadership,” – Atwoli Tells Teachers After Cracks Erupt In KUPPET
On Thursday, Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli intervened in a dispute between officials from the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Union and their Secretary General, Akello Misori.
This comes after a group of KUPPET officials publicly denounced Misori’s decision to call off the teachers’ strike. The officials also requested the Secretary General’s resignation.
Speaking at a joint press briefing in Mombasa, Atwoli urged teachers to stop playing blame games and instead form a united front as they continue to provide their services.
“Support your leadership and allow them to lead you. On behalf of COTU, I am appealing for peace, calm, and continued support within KUPPET,” the COTU SG said
“I am calling upon KUPPET to remain united and committed.”
Nevertheless, Atwoli praised KUPPET and the TSC for their ongoing support of teachers.
He went on to reassure KUPPET teachers that Misori had not betrayed them after they called the Secretary-General a traitor.
Misori defended his decision to call off the strike, claiming that it was a collective resolution of KUPPET’s Executive Council.
“Once you are at the talking table, you cannot continue with the strike, let’s not blame each other, this is not war, it is industrial relations,” the SG said.
Misori claimed that at the previous meeting, KUPPET’s county executive members, who are members of the NGC, explicitly granted the executive board the authority to engage with the TSC.
The mandate authorized the board to negotiate terms and reach an agreement that addressed the grievances that prompted the strike in the first place.
Following these discussions, as revealed by Misori, the TSC agreed to meet several of the union’s demands, prompting the executive to suspend the strike.
Despite KUPPET officials’ calls for his resignation, Misori has remained a vocal advocate for union unity and solidarity.
Kuppet Suspends Strike
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) September 2, 2024
Kuppet has called off its nationwide strike, after reaching an agreement with the Teachers Service Commission.
The union has instructed all teachers to return to work immediately.#NTVTonight @SmritiVidyarthi pic.twitter.com/xVVmfe15TK
“We must remain united and focused on our goals. Internal squabbles will only serve to weaken our position and give our adversaries the upper hand,” Misori urged.
Misori has advised KUPPET’s critics to focus their efforts on supporting the union’s agenda rather than inciting discord.
The teachers’ strike lasted six days, with teachers demanding higher pay, promotions, and the government to follow the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) reached between the union and TSC.
“Support Your Leadership,” – Atwoli Tells Teachers After Cracks Erupt In KUPPET
