The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Mombasa has suspended a policy that requires lecturers from the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) to teach more units.
This is after the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) moved to court to challenge the decision by the institution to have the lecturers teach four units per semester instead of three.
Uasu argued that they were not consulted by TUM saying the policy was against the terms of employment of Uasu members adding that the lecturers will suffer financial loss and low morale if it is implemented.
Justice Linnet Ndolo while issuing the order said Uasu members will suffer if the academic policy is allowed adding that the institution did not consult with the lecturers before effecting the policy.
Justice Ndolo said the lecturers would suffer financially as some of them teach part-time to get extra money.
“This would include part-time payments on account of the fourth unit and to take away this income without consultation has potential to occasion financial ruin to the Uasu members.”
“From the evidence on record, the respondent (TUM) ignored the written views of the petitioner (Uasu) at every turn and went ahead to implement the new academic policy whose effect was to alter the terms of employment of the petitioner’s members to their detriment and without consultation,” ruled Justice Ndolo as quoted by nation.co.ke.
TUM had argued that they consulted the lecturers on the new policy adding that it was part of cost cutting measures so that the institution could meet its operational costs.
The university told the court that lecturers were taking part-time units which increased the institution’s part-time expenses while accusing some of the lecturers of undertaking private business which affected their full time work.