State calls for meeting over use of tea plucking machines by large firms

The government has called for a meeting in Nairobi to discuss the impact of tea plucking machines which have threatened to render thousands of workers jobless.

Ministry of Labour permanent secretary Beatrice Kituyi directed the Federation of Kenya Employers, Central Organisation of Trade Unions, the Kenya Plantation and Agriculture Workers Union (KPAWU) and chief executives of multi-national tea companies to attend.

Addressing tea workers in Nandi South, Mrs Kituyi said the government was concerned over loss of jobs after introduction of the tea plucking machines.

She said the meeting is expected to come up with solutions to avert job losses faced by a large number of workers.

The PS said that some large scale tea companies had threatened to shut down due to hard economical times adding that government plans to hold talks with FKE, Cotu, KPAWU and the managements of the tea companies to find a solution.

KPAWU national treasurer Joshua Oyuga claimed that one tea company in the area had sent home 8,000 tea pluckers since last year.

Mr Oyuga said another tea company had sacked all its 250 tea pickers saying it of going against the collective bargaining agreement which they had signed in 2001.

Operations manager of Eastern Produce Tea Company Jacob Kata accused union leaders of thwarting the company’s efforts to reduce costs.

“Large scale tea companies resorted to using the machines because the new technology was cheaper compared to human labour,” he said.

Mr Kata defended use of machines adding they risk running out of business if they don’t change.

Labour Assistant minister Peter Oojamong said the government would sent in experts to investigate complains that tea plucking machines had negative effects on people who handled them.