Kenya National Union of Teachers has reaffirmed its stand on the controversialNational Hospital Insurance Fund and announced that they will join other workers in a nationwide strike.
The Union Assistant Secretary-general Hesbon Otieno said the rates were arrived at without wide consultations.
"Why were we not consulted, we demand that the concerns we are raising on the basis of statutory deductions towards the fund be addressed,” said Secretary Otieno.
Otieno told the national government to rescind the decision or face a strike that will paralyse education in the country.
"We are sending a warning to Cabinet Secretary of Labour Rachel Omamo to ensure the new rates are reworked upon failure to which we will be joining other labour unions to oppose this through a strike,” said Otieno.
He said many unions have denounced the new rates that is expected to come into effect in July 01, this year and the giant teachers union will have no otherwise, but to join them in an industrial action if no action is taken.
Speaking in Kisumu on Wednesday after meeting KNUT Nyanza region delegates, Otieno said the union is not against the new rates, but the process that sidelined their input.
He said basing the deductions on gross income will have far reaching effects on the net income of the teachers and urged the government to revert the deductions based on the basic pay.
Otieno challenged the government also to make contribution since they are the majority in the board and must co-own the fund.