BACKGROUND
Introduction
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement on 26th October 2016 which was later registered in the Employment and Labour Relations Court on 30th November 2016. The CBA was an agreement to regularize the industrial relations between the employer and KUPPET as well as for the interest of mutual understanding and co-operation. The CBA reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a collaborative relationship aimed at realizing quality teaching service.
Analysis of the Cost of Living in Kenya
According to surveys released by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Consumer Price Indices (CPI) has continued to increase over the last 2 years. Consumer Price Index is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services such as transportation, food and medical care. It is calculated by taking price changes of each item in the predetermined basket of goods and averaging them. It reports inflation and deflation tendencies in the economy.
In July 2016, the CPI was 170.84 and inflation rate was 6.39. The CPI has increased to 191.59 and inflation rate is 4.35 in 2018. This is an economic indicator that prices of goods and services have increased over time affecting the remuneration and allowances for workers. The GDP has also increased on average 1.33 per cent since 2015 indicating an increase of 1.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2018.
For example, the average price of fuel in 2016 was sh98 per litre compared to the current sh112. This affects the commuter allowance as fares have risen from sh50 to sh 100 in most parts of the country.
The table below shows the average price changes for household consumption goods and services over the last 2 years.
Product
Unit of measure
July 17
December 17
July 18
% change
Tomatoes
1kg
86.45
94.52
122.04
41
Kerosene
1L
63.55
71.42
85.05
22.8
Petrol
1L
98.00
105.04
109.67
11.9
Charcoal
4kg
81.61
138.13
69.25
Maize flour
2kg
106.77
110.10
116.29
8.91
Sukumawiki
1kg
42.17
43.67
57.87
37.23
Electricity
50kwh
576.07
649.73
695.97
20.81
Source: KNBS CPI July 2017, December 2017 and July 2018
The cost of living has increased rapidly over the last two years affecting the purchasing power of household goods and services. The transport cost has increased beyond the commuter allowance negotiated due to increase of fuel and general overall transport cost.
The Union demands that the following issues may be considered for negotiations to cushion teachers in their delivery of services.
PROPOSALS OF NEW ALLOWANCES
1.COMMUTER ALLOWANCE
The Union demands that commuter allowance be increased by 150% of the current rate. Commuter allowance shall be paid as per Appendix.
- LEAVE ALLOWANCE
The Union demands that leave allowance be paid based on one’s basic pay i.e. an equivalent of one month’s basic pay for all cadres.
3.HOUSE ALLOWANCE
The Union demands that House allowance be harmonized across all regions.i.e Teachers in Grade C2 should enjoy the same house allowance whether in Nairobi or Marsabit and this should be in all grades.
- TOWNSHIP HARDSHIP ALLOWANCE
While teachers enjoy equal house allowance across all regions, the Union proposes the introduction of township allowance. Teachers in urban areas experience challenges of high cost of living and expensive urban transport and this makes no difference with a teacher in a hardship area. We propose a town allowance of 30% of basic salary be paid to teachers in major cities or county headquarters. - HARDSHIP ALLOWANCE
Hardship allowance shall be payable to teachers assigned duties in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) areas. However, the areas declared as hardship needs to be reviewed because there are other emerging issues like terrorism, cattle rustling etc. - RISK ALLOWANCE
Risk allowance shall be payable to all Science teachers due to exposure to chemicals and other substances. The Union demands that Risk allowance be paid at a rate of 20% of the basic salary as per appendix. - ACCOMODATION ALLOWANCE
Teachers are assigned duties outside the work station. In the civil service, there are guidelines stipulating the allowance for every cadre. The Union has proposed development of clear guidelines on the payment of accommodation allowance (per diem) as well as the amount as shown in the appendix. - POST GRADUATE SCHEME OF SERVICE
The teaching service has no scheme of service for teachers who have attained a Masters and Doctorate degrees. Instead, the employer awards three increments to the holders of such qualifications. The proposed scheme seeks to allow TSC recruit teachers possessing post-graduate qualifications at entry level. The Union demands that Post graduate scheme of service be developed and be eligible to all teachers holding a Master’s and Doctorate degree. The said teachers shall be paid an allowance equivalent to 40% of the basic salary.
8.CAREER PROGRESSION
Parties agreed that career progression in the teaching service shall be as provided under Part VI of the Code of Regulations for Teachers. However, KUPPET demands that the Commission in performance of its obligation under this agreement ensures that every teacher under its employment is facilitated to undergo professional development.
9.OVERTIME ALLOWANCE
KUPPET demands that working hours for all teachers be 8 hours per day i.e. 8.00 am. to 5.00 p.m. with one hour lunch break for five days i.e. 40 hours per week – Monday to Friday. Further, the Union proposes that any extra hours worked be compensated as an overtime as teachers in boarding sections are overworked and no monetary compensation are done. The overtime allowance schedule is attached as per Appendix.
- COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL COVER
We propose that medical allowance be increased by 100% to enable the employer improve health benefits with insurance underwriters. - TEACHERS’ SALARY INCREMENT
The 2016 basic salary increment be varied to align the increment with challenges of inflation.
OTHER ISSUES
The marking scheme for employment of Diploma teachers is discriminating and unfair to diploma teachers. We propose it be reviewed so that they are given same marks as graduates.
Special schools allowance terminated without consultation should be reinstated.
Annual increment for teachers seems not clear. Not all teachers have been given the same.
There should exist common cadre grades to show job group progression as before the CBA 26th October, 2016.
ACCOMODATION ALLOWANCE (PER DIEM)
Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu Kilifi, Naivasha, Lamu and Kwale
Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Kericho, Kakamega, Embu, Garissa, Bungoma
Other areas
C2
6,000
4,000
3,000
C3
6,500
4,500
3,500
C4
6,500
4,500
3,500
C5
8,000
6,000
4,000
D1
8,000
6,000
4,000
D2
8,000
6,000
4,000
D3
10,000
7,500
5,000
D4
10,000
7,500
5,000
D5
LEAVE ALLOWANCE
GRADE C2
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
6000
27,325
2
6000
28,792
3
6000
30,335
4
6000
31,956
5
6000
32,988
6
6000
34,955
7
6000
36,280
8
6000
37,654
9
6000
39,081
10
6000
40,562
11
6000
42,099
12
6000
43,694
GRADE C3
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
6,000
33,908
2
6,000
34,570
3
6,000
35,167
4
6,000
35,837
5
6,000
36,536
6
6,000
37,087
7
6,000
37,867
8
6,000
38,677
9
6,000
39,532
10
6,000
41,417
11
6,000
43,391
12
6,000
45,463
113
6,000
47,624
14
6,000
49,912
GRADE C4
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
6,000
35,927
2
6,000
37,495
3
6,000
39,136
4
6,000
40,849
5
6,000
42,642
6
6,000
45,463
7
6,000
47,624
8
6,000
49,912
9
6,000
51,632
GRADE C5
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
6,000
40,849
2
6,000
41,417
3
6,000
42,642
4
6,000
43,391
5
6,000
45,463
6
6,000
47,624
7
6,000
49,912
8
6,000
51,931
9
6,000
55,644
10
6,000
58,069
11
6,000
60,613
GRADE D1
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
10,000
66,177
2
10,000
68,905
3
10,000
71,746
4
10,000
77,840
5
10,000
80,242
GRADE D2
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
10,000
71,565
2
10,000
77,840
3
10,000
85,269
GRADE D3
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
10,000
77,840
2
10,000
80,242
3
10,000
82,717
4
10,000
90,612
GRADE D4
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
10,000
99,730
2
10,000
102,807
3
10,000
104,644
4
10,000
107,873
5
10,000
111,201
6
10,000
114,632
GRADE D5
Salary Scale point
CURRENT LEAVE ALLOWANCE
PROPOSED LEAVE ALLOWANCE
1
10,000
111,201
2
10,000
114,632
3
10,000
118,169
4
10,000
121,814
5
10,000
125,573
6
10,000
129,528
7
10,000
131,380
8
10,000
141,891
9
10,000
148,360
10
10,000
152,937
RISK ALLOWANCE
GRADE C2
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
5,465
2
5,758
3
6,067
4
6,391
5
6,598
6
6,991
7
7,256
8
7,531
9
7,816
10
8,112
11
8,420
12
8,739
GRADE C3
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
6,782
2
6,914
3
7,033
4
7,167
5
7,307
6
7,417
7
7,573
8
7,735
9
7,906
10
8,283
11
8,678
12
9,093
113
9,525
14
9,982
GRADE C4
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
7,185
2
7,499
3
7,827
4
8,170
5
8,528
6
9,093
7
9,525
8
9,982
9
10,326
GRADE C5
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
8,170
2
8,283
3
8,528
4
8,678
5
9,093
6
9,525
7
9,982
8
10,386
9
11,129
10
11,614
11
12,123
GRADE D1
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
13,235
2
13,781
3
14,349
4
15,568
5
16,048
GRADE D2
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
14,313
2
15,568
3
17,054
GRADE D3
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
15,568
2
16,048
3
16,543
4
18,122
GRADE D4
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
19,946
2
20,561
3
20,929
4
21,575
5
22,240
6
22,926
GRADE D5
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED RISK ALLOWANCE
1
22,240
2
22,926
3
23,634
4
24,363
5
25,115
6
25,906
7
26,276
8
28,378
9
29,672
10
30,587
TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
GRADE C2
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
5,465
2
5,758
3
6,067
4
6,391
5
6,598
6
6,991
7
7,256
8
7,531
9
7,816
10
8,112
11
8,420
12
8,739
GRADE C3
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
6,782
2
6,914
3
7,033
4
7,167
5
7,307
6
7,417
7
7,573
8
7,735
9
7,906
10
8,283
11
8,678
12
9,093
113
9,525
14
9,982
GRADE C4
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
7,185
2
7,499
3
7,827
4
8,170
5
8,528
6
9,093
7
9,525
8
9,982
9
10,326
GRADE C5
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
8,170
2
8,283
3
8,528
4
8,678
5
9,093
6
9,525
7
9,982
8
10,386
9
11,129
10
11,614
11
12,123
GRADE D1
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
13,235
2
13,781
3
14,349
4
15,568
5
16,048
GRADE D2
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
14,313
2
15,568
3
17,054
GRADE D3
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
15,568
2
16,048
3
16,543
4
18,122
GRADE D4
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
19,94699,730
2
20,561
3
20,929
4
21,575
5
22,240
6
22,926
GRADE D5
Salary Scale point
PROPOSED TOWNSHIP ALLOWANCE
1
22,240
2
22,926
3
23,634
4
24,363
5
25,115
6
25,906
7
26,276
8
28,378
9
29,672
10
30,587
COMMUTER ALLOWANCE
JOB GROUP
KSH PER MONTH
Current Rates
50% increment from the current
C2
5,000
7,500
C3
6,000
9,000
C4
8,000
12,000
C5
8,000
12,000
D1
12,000
18,000
D2
12,000
18,000
D3
14,000
21,000
D4
14,000
21,000
D5
16,000
24,000
OVERTIME ALLOWANCE
GRADE
OVERTIME PAY
OVERTIME 2HRS
PER HOUR
AVERAGE
C2
500
1,000
C3
600
1,200
C4
700
1,400
C5
800
1,600
D1
900
1,800
D2
1,000
2,000
D3
1,100
2,200
D4
1,200
2,400
D5
1,300
2,600
HOUSE ALLOWANCE
JOB GROUP
KSH PER MONTH
Proposed rates (Nairobi rates)
Current Rates
C2
16,500
7,500
C3
28,000
13,000
C4
28,000
13,000
C5
35,000
15,400
D1
45,000
16,800
D2
45,000
16,800
D3
45,000
16,800
D4
45,000
16,800
D5
50,000
20,000
