The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has called for additional benefits tailored to the unique demands of the teaching profession. KUPPET’s Assistant Treasurer, Ronald Tonui, emphasized the need for these benefits in the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), citing the strenuous nature of teaching.
Speaking at the KUPPET Siaya branch Annual General Meeting, Tonui stressed the importance of a salary increase as a core component of the new agreement. He also pushed for the inclusion of a “standing allowance,” noting that teachers endure physically demanding duties that are often overlooked.
“Next year, we must sign a new CBA with TSC. A salary increase is essential in this agreement. We also want a standing allowance because teaching is a very strenuous job. Other professions receive extraneous allowances, yet we have not been granted any. Standing allowance must appear on our payslips,” Tonui stated.
Tonui urged union members to actively contribute their proposals to shape the CBA negotiations. He highlighted specific allowances KUPPET aims to introduce, including a “detoxification allowance” for science teachers. “Chemistry teachers handle very dangerous chemicals, and we need to be compensated for that. A detoxification allowance must be introduced,” he emphasized.
In addition, Tonui advocated for a “special duty or acting allowance,” particularly for teachers who take on additional administrative roles such as acting principals without receiving adequate compensation. He argued that these responsibilities should be recognized financially.
Tonui also addressed the decision of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) to withdraw from the planned nationwide teachers’ strike, which he claimed had inadvertently strengthened KUPPET’s position in the labor movement. “KNUT’s decision was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed KUPPET to demonstrate its strength, disproving skeptics who believed we couldn’t lead a robust nationwide strike,” he said.
