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{
    "id": 10497,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/10497/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 310,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Prof. Kamar",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 33,
        "legal_name": "Margaret Jepkoech Kamar",
        "slug": "margaret-kamar"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, hon. Langat asked whether universities must always go on strike to be heard. I would like to say “no.” But the nature of unions is such that they negotiate their terms and salaries. So, the process is a normal one. The issue is that it should never boil down to going for a strike. So, negotiation is part of the whole deal when you have a union. I mentioned yesterday that since 2003, universities have been allowed to have unions, both at the senior and low level. There is the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) for senior staff, Universities Non-Teaching Staff Union (UNTESU) for the middle level and KUDHEIHA for the low cadre staff. So, that process is okay. The problem in the current situation, however, is that the unions, particularly UASU, on behalf of the others, requested to restart negotiations which had stalled in 2009. I, again, mentioned why they stalled. I want to repeat that when they negotiated for that, we went back to the authorities that had actually caused the stalling. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the most recent stalling occurred because of a circular that came from the Head of Civil Service, who had informed us that because of the new Commission on Salaries and Remuneration being put in place, there was going to be a freeze on any other negotiations. We went back to the authorities and discussed with the Attorney-General and Head of Civil Service. It was agreed that we allow negotiations to begin. That is what started on 2nd. We, therefore, had expected university councils to initiate the process of negotiating the terms and salaries that had stalled. The universities responded very positively and have an inter-council forum for public universities. They called meetings and invited all the unions. They went to Kisumu where negotiations were supposed to begin yesterday but the unions did not appear there. That is what caused the problem. Otherwise it is not true that they must strike. Normally, a strike is the last resort and nobody would have expected a strike to take place before the negotiations stalled. It was just the opening of the negotiations, but we do not understand why they decided to take the other approach. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, hon. Wamalwa asked what the Government has done to initiate and sustain dialogue. I want to respond as follows: We have had meetings. I mentioned yesterday that the first meeting that I had with UASU, myself, was on 13th October---"
}