Two unions claim the government is not committed to talks.
Kenya's public university lecturers and workers plan to go on strike next week if their pay increase demands are not met.
Universities Staff Academic Union (Uasu) and Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu) officials issued a strike notice on Thursday over failure by the government to implement a 2013-2017 collective bargaining agreement.
Uasu's secretary-general Mr Constantine Wasonga and his Kusu counterpart Mr Charles Mukhwaya said the industrial action will involve all members at the 33 public universities in the country.
Dr Mukhwaya said the last time university workers were awarded a salary increase was in 2010.
The two unions claim the government is not committed to talks.
The unions issued the notice a day after talks between them and the universities’ management collapsed.