County government workers issue strike notice
Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU) Secretary-General Roba Duba.
What you need to know:
- Mr Roba Duba, the Secretary-General of the union, said SRC ignored a presidential directive that increased the salaries of public servants by 7-10 percent to cushion them against the cost of living.
County workers have issued a 21-days strike notice over delayed pay rises, coming a few hours after the national government averted a similar job boycott by civil servants by promising higher salaries this month.
The Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU) on Wednesday issued the strike notice to the 47 county secretaries and the national government, while accusing the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) of discrimination in its pay review.
Mr Roba Duba, the Secretary-General of the union, said the Commission had ignored a presidential directive that increased the salaries of public servants by 7-10 percent to cushion them against the cost of living.
The union also argues that an earlier salary review which was issued had included county workers, but that last-minute changes were made and only public servants working for the national government were included.
“We have had patience for the longest time as county workers. We have been begging for years. The last time salaries of county workers were reviewed was in 2012. This is discriminatory. We have reached a breaking point,” Mr Duba said.
“The same was duly awarded to employees within the larger public service and select employees in the respective counties across the country, to the exclusion of most county employees in breach of their hallowed constitutional rights to fair labour practices,” he added.
KCGWU had written a letter to President William Ruto concerning their grievances in August last year. The Head of State had directed Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, through the State Department of Devolution, to look into the issue.
Despite persistent efforts, the union says, county workers were astonished when the salary increases covered only civil servants.
“What we have seen is that salary increase is for everyone in this country except county workers. Teachers and civil servants have received a pay increase. Why should they discriminate against us yet we are also working in this country?” he added.
