Labour CS Alfred Mutua on Wednesday held talks with officials from university unions in an effort to end the ongoing strike by lecturers.
Mutua met Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General Constantine Wasonga and Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya.
The ongoing strike by dons and staff from universities has entered its second week, crippling learning activities across all public universities in the country.
The ministry in a statement on Wednesday said it was agreed that an inter-ministerial negotiating team be established.
This committee will aim to address key issues raised by the unions and work towards signing a return-to-work formula.
The team will include representatives from the Ministries of Labour, Education and the National Treasury, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), public universities, the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC), and the two unions.
The inter-ministerial committee will commence discussions on Thursday and will continue until an agreement is reached.
Mutua emphasised the need for swift action to address the underlying issues that often lead to strikes.
"We must deal with these matters before they fester," he said.
He reiterated his ministry’s commitment to advocating for fairness and balance during employer-worker negotiations.
Mutua also stressed that once Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) are signed, they should be honored, and in cases where challenges arise, workers should be informed promptly with clear reasons provided.
The unions are seeking resolutions on matters such as salary increments and allowances.
The ministry said there is a possibility of further negotiations on other issues contained within the CBA.
Present during the meeting were Labour PS Shadrack Mwadime and other senior government officials.