Universitys’ Academic Staff Union Declares Strike As CBA Talks Collapses.

By Evans Mutinda

Workers in public universities are set to down their tools at midnight after three unions rejected a counter-offer presented during negotiations for the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and KUDHEIHA Workers have accused the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) of frustrating negotiations and failing to conclude and implement the agreement.
The unions said their seven-day strike notice expires at midnight Thursday, October 1, paving the way for the industrial action if their demands are not addressed.
UASU National Organising Secretary Jacob Musembi, speaking on behalf of the three unions, said they had rejected the latest counter-offer, describing it as inadequate and inconsistent with provisions contained in the previous CBA.
The unions said the counter-offer failed to take into account proposals they had submitted after an earlier offer and did not honour provisions of the registered 2021–2025 CBA on harmonisation of allowances.
They also rejected the proposed medical benefits arrangements, saying they were inferior to those enjoyed by other public-sector workers.
Another major point of contention is the proposed four per cent annual automatic salary increment, which the unions said was inadequate in the face of inflation and the rising cost of living.
The unions further accused the employers of failing to address staff shortages, particularly the recruitment of academic staff needed to cope with rising student enrolment in public universities.
“WASU, KUSU and KUDHEIHA reject in total the counter-offer from IPUCCF,” Musembi said.
The unions said they had expected negotiations to be concluded within 30 days of signing a charter of agreement on November 5, 2025.
Instead, they said, negotiations had dragged on for months without an agreement.
The union officials said the failure to conclude the CBA had left them with no option but to withdraw their labour.
They called on their members to remain united and commence the strike from midnight until their demands are fully addressed.
One of the union officials accused the government of taking university workers for granted, particularly over medical cover and remuneration.
He called on the Education Cabinet Secretary to personally take charge of the negotiations instead of sending what he described as “handcapped” representatives to the talks.
“Let the Minister for Education take charge of these negotiations,” he said, urging the government to bring the matter to a conclusion.
The unions also blamed the government for the impending disruption, arguing that their prolonged presence at the negotiating table without an agreement had effectively pushed workers into industrial action.
“We feel that this strike has been called by the government. It is not us who have called for this strike,” the official said.
The unions acknowledged that the strike would affect thousands of students and parents, particularly students who had recently reported to universities for the new academic year.
They, however, maintained that workers could not continue teaching while struggling with debts and deteriorating living conditions.
The unions called on the government and university employers to urgently conclude the 2025–2029 CBA to avert disruption of learning in public universities.