Tuesday, 25 June 2013,Kenyan parents ,public school students and teachers have a legitimate need to be concerned .The strike declared by the Kenya National Union of Teachers( KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers(KUPPET) is an ominous sign of further looming strikes exacerbated by the recent unrelentless push by Members of Parliament to increase their salaries despite resistance from the Constitutional Salaries and Remuneration Commission,the President himself ,Civil Society and other quarters.What that means is dialogue may take a back seat in negotiations and brain and muscle ala push and shove becomes the new norm of getting what one wants.
Simple logic is that Citizens tend to mimic or emulate their leadership hence the selfish push by the MP's in more than one way informed the masses of the need to resiliently press for better emoluments and salaries with little or no regard to the resources at hand.
Whereas i am not a politician nor do entertain any particular political ideals it is common sense that the MP's move was ill informed and the country should expect ripples and repercussions as more and more public and private workers employ a policy of no retreat no surrender when bargaining for better working conditions or terms for engagement.No matter what rationalization the elected members of parliament may have had ,they seem to have forgot that anyone may come up with any excuse or cogent reason for salary increase especially in this day and age where uncertainty in the economy, high inflation and interest rates coupled with unemployment and insecurity lay supreme.
All said and done, i believe that the teachers will have their way ,either now or in the long run to the detriment of the students and the parents and after the teachers watch the space for upheaval and strikes from other sectors.Thats the bare hard truth and bitter pill that Leaders have to swallow.They set the pattern!
Simple logic is that Citizens tend to mimic or emulate their leadership hence the selfish push by the MP's in more than one way informed the masses of the need to resiliently press for better emoluments and salaries with little or no regard to the resources at hand.
Whereas i am not a politician nor do entertain any particular political ideals it is common sense that the MP's move was ill informed and the country should expect ripples and repercussions as more and more public and private workers employ a policy of no retreat no surrender when bargaining for better working conditions or terms for engagement.No matter what rationalization the elected members of parliament may have had ,they seem to have forgot that anyone may come up with any excuse or cogent reason for salary increase especially in this day and age where uncertainty in the economy, high inflation and interest rates coupled with unemployment and insecurity lay supreme.
All said and done, i believe that the teachers will have their way ,either now or in the long run to the detriment of the students and the parents and after the teachers watch the space for upheaval and strikes from other sectors.Thats the bare hard truth and bitter pill that Leaders have to swallow.They set the pattern!
Great
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