ELDORET, Kenya, Jul 7 – Top officials of the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Moi University Chapter wants the institution to rescind its decision to lay off workers to pave way for a stakeholder’s meeting.
UASU chapter Chairman Busolo Wekesa, said it was wrong for the university management to take such action without involving all stakeholders.
Addressing the media in Eldoret town, Wekesa criticized Moi University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kosgey-led management for ambushing the union members with the redundancy notice.
“The university management should understand that declaring redundancy to members of staff comes with its own consequences including compensation to the laid-off workforce,” said Wekesa.
The UASU chapter chairman Richard Okero claimed that the management had refused to recognize the workers union as it emerged that more than 2,500 staff were slated for downsizing out of the over 5,000 university employees.
“It is unfortunate that the university top management has totally refused to recognize us as representatives of the teaching staff at the institution. Whenever they deliberate and come up with a decision on a crucial matter affecting the university, we are never involved,’’ said Okero.
The union leadership was reacting to a redundancy notice issued by Moi University to the workers through their union in a move that has caused anxiety among teaching and nonteaching staff at the institution.
The university Vice-chancellor Prof Isaac Kosgey said the redundancy notice was issued to the staff following the university’s financial constraints that has been affecting it for years.
In a memo addressed to the UASU chapter secretary dated July 4, the institution’s vice-chancellor noted that the tertiary institution has been struggling to stay afloat and is unable to sustain its growing wage bill.
The memo read in part, “As you are aware, the university has been facing difficulties in meeting its wage bill obligations. Over the years, the university wage bill has been increasing, currently taking up over 70 percent of the capitation from the exchequer.”
