Power strike hangs in the balance
The union and the power distribution company have been negotiating the 2011/2012 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) since January this year and had agreed on 28 items out of a total of 40 items. The remaining 12 items were still under negotiations by September 21.
What you need to know:
- Union officials say planned industrial action still on as their employer insists a court order is in place
Kenya Power has obtained a court order stopping a planned countrywide strike by its employees.
The power distribution company got the order on Friday restraining the Kenya Electrical Trade and Workers Union (Ketawu) from executing the strike threat. (READ: KPLC workers' strike called off)
Industrial Court judge Paul Kosgei, who issued the order, certified the application by the company as urgent and agreed to hear it ex-parte.
However, a day later, the union through national secretary Ernest Nadome said the strike was on and gave the government and the Kenya Power management a seven-day notice to accommodate dialogue.
On Sunday, Mr Migwi Theuri, the company’s corporate communication deputy manager said the order was in force and there was no way their workers could go on strike.
“Unless they want to disobey the court, they cannot go on strike,” Mr Theuri told the Nation. “The matter must be heard and determined first,” he added.
The union and the company have been negotiating the 2011/2012 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) since January this year under the chairmanship of a principal industrial relations officer from the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).
Still under negotiations
“The parties had covered much ground in the negotiations reaching agreement on 28 items out of a total of 40 items,” said Mr Theuri. “The remaining 12 items were still under negotiations as late as September 21, and we are wondering why the rush to call a strike,” he said.
The workers have complained of increased dismissal of workers blaming it on the current human resource department, which they say, has adopted a policy contrary to the labour laws and workers rights.
“The company has 12,000 employees, 8,000 of whom are casuals. It is embarrassing for a company as big as Kenya Power to continue using cheap labour despite raking in billions in profits,” Mr Nadome said on Saturday.
Mr Theuri said the company’s management had offered its workers a seven per cent increase in the first year and a similar increase in the second year.
He said they had also offered to increase house allowances.
