Effect of Teachers Trade Union Activities on Performance of Teachers in Selected Public Primary Schools in Nairobi County

Abstract

Performance is a very key aspect for any organization or institution. The government of Kenya has been tirelessly putting up strategies to ensure good performance in the public sector that has been over the past decade seen not to meet the required standards. The Kenya National Union of Teachers is a recognized union by the trade unions in Kenya whose primary function is to protect the interest of the teacher working in public schools. The union expresses their grievances to their employer, the Teacher’s Service Commission in a solidarity manner as well providing welfare services to its members. There have been complains from the union that the TSC does not take into account better terms especially for a better pay that has seen the union call for strikes. This study aimed at looking at the effect of the trade union activities on the performance of teachers in public primary school in Nairobi County. The study was driven by four objectives which were how negotiations, education of the members and involvement of welfare activities within the union affected the performance of teachers in Nairobi County. The study was guided by four theories: theory of planned behavior, three-component theory of commitment. REMM Theory of Human Behavior (Resourceful, Evaluative, Maximizing Model) and equity theory. A descriptive research design was used with a targeted population of 230 public primary schools. The sampling frame consisted of school administrators, head teachers and parents and a sample size of 69 participants from each category making a total of 207 respondents. The collected data was analyzed through SPSS and frequencies, figure used alongside their interpretation. The study found out that the involvement of teachers in the trade unions helped them increased their performance since they rest were assured of their welfare matters and also that their voices as one would sent a strong message to their employer who would on the other hand act swiftly However, the use of strikes to force TSC act on the union’s demands was seen to be a demotivating aspect to the parents who complained of time wastage and recommended that a better way be used by both the government and the union to reach a consensus before matters went uncontrollable.