Knut and Kuppet in merger talks

The Kenya National Union of Teachers and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers are exploring the possibility of a merge.

Documents indicate that Knut secretary-general Wilson Sossion and Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba had agreed to start the merger.

“We commit ourselves to initiate the process of achieving greater unity towards mergers,” a signed joint communiqué says after a meeting organised by a group called Education International.

Knut had formed a 10-man technical committee to work out merger details. It is understood Knut’s top decision making organ, the National Steering Committee, met on February 4 and agreed to the proposal.

The unions have developed a merger matrix, which started this month and is expected to end on May 14. But Mr Milemba said Kuppet, whose National Executive Board was meeting yesterday evening, did not want a merger but a “federation”.

According to the report, the merger came after Education International advised that divisions among education trade unions in Africa were affecting their ability to negotiate for members.

If all the unions agree, the South Africa Democratic Teachers Union and Education International will help spearhead the merger.

Mr Sossion could not be reached for comment yesterday, but documents show the union had agreed to the merger between this month and June.

If it were to succeed, it would bring to an end a 16-year old battle for supremacy between the two unions. The rivalry has been blamed for some loss of bargaining power.

According to the Trade Union Splinterism Report that was used to sign up to the mergers, the relationship among local teachers unions is full of rivalry and competition. It says cooperation between Knut and Kuppet has been rare, and partly attributed this to the manner in which the latter was formed. It is widely believed that elements in the former Kanu regime may have helped set up the union to weaken Knut.

It said the rivalry between the two unions had complicated negotiating salaries and allowances. The trade unions have been unable to effectively cooperate and coordinate during industrial action, the report said.

Last year, the two unions disagreed over a strike called by Knut, and eventually negotiated salaries at different platforms.

Adapted from: Daily Nation