Court intervenes to prevent strike of tea workers
Kenya Plantation and Agriculture Workers Union Secretary General Francis Atwoli addresses his fellow members during a meeting at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu on July 29, 2017. The union has suspended a planned strike. PHOTO | ONDARI OGEGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The union argued that the terms and conditions of services have remained constant for the past four years.
- The union officials threatened to continue with the strike as planed should the parties fail to agree.
A strike planned by workers in tea plantations has been put on hold following the intervention of the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
The Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) on Friday announced the postponement of the strike slated for Monday to allow the court process to proceed.
COURT ORDER
Deputy Secretary General Thomas Kipkemboi said the parties were directed by the court to appear before it for hearing.
"In respect to the court order, the union has postponed the strike notice issued to the tea sectors on August 14 pending a court process.
"We want to ask our members to continue with their duties until further communication is given," Mr Kipkemboi said at the union’s office in Nakuru.
NEGOTIATE
The strike was to affect workers in Kericho, Bomet, Nandi and Sotik.
Mr Kipkemboi claimed the union was forced to issue the strike notice after efforts to have a dialogue with their employers hit a dead end.
The union claimed the tea growers who include Unilever Tea Kenya Limited, James Finlay (Kenya) Ltd, the Kenya Tea Growers Association and Eastern Produce Kenya Ltd had refused to discuss review of terms and conditions of their workers.
ECONOMY
In a letter dated July 31, KPAWU 's secretary general Francis Atwoli issued a strike notice to the firms demanding the review of the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2012.
The union argued that the terms and conditions of services have remained constant for the past four years, despite the high cost of living and the rising inflation rate.
The union then moved to court seeking orders to have the companies compelled to institute negotiations for the review of the CBA that covering 2016-2017.
COURT
According to the CBA, the companies were expected to present a counter offer to the union’s demand for 100 per cent salary increment and improved housing allowances for the more than 100,000 workers.
The court ordered the parties to appear for hearing on September 21.
The union officials threatened to continue with the strike as planed should the parties fail to agree.
