Nairobi County workers issue January strike notice

Nairobi County government workers have vowed to down their tools in January after talks on collective bargaining agreement collapsed last week.

In a letter dated December 15, to the County Secretary by the Kenya County Government Workers’ Union, they have been called upon to parade outside City Hall on January 10 to begin their strike.

The union cited promotions, non-remittance of statutory deductions, salary payment delays and appointment letters as some of their grievances.

“In reference to the CBA, this union and the Nairobi County signed a recognition agreement on February 27, 2014 but no collective bargaining agreement has ever been concluded since then,” said the letter.

The union complained that negotiations were ongoing with the county until a letter dated December 2 by the county public service board directed that talks be suspended.

Speaking on phone, the union’s chairman Bernard Inyangala said that the county had failed to promote its workers for a long time hence the need for industrial action.

He said that during a standoff between the workers and city hall in November this year, when a planned strike over salary delays had been called off, they agreed on talks to implement the CBA to start. But they were stopped last week.

But speaking on phone, the county public service board chairman Philip Kungu said that the county stopped the talks since the union was not recognised by law.

He said that he urged the union to follow the law and sign a recognition agreement but they refused.

“The unions should know this is a new political regime where things are done according to the law and they should first be recognised as a union before talks can resume,” said Mr Kungu.

At least 13,000 workers are set to participate in the strike.