Kenya's Public Sector Unions stand in Solidarity with striking health workers

The call was made during a press briefing that held on 11th April in Kisumu after discussions regarding the Salary Review Commission's controversial attempts to cut public sector pay. The meeting was sponsored by PSI and Vision.  

Affiliates observed that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had overstepped it’s constitutional limits by attempting to make its advice mandatory, robbing unions of their right to collective bargaining.

Unions noted the SRC is attempting to use courts to block the registration of Collective Bargaining Agreements signed by unions and employers. The SRC claims these agreements are against its 'mandatory' advice regarding affordability, sustainability and comparability.

Unions in public sector have been forced to spend huge amounts of money on litigation challenging the interference of the SRC body that is not a party to negotiations as enshrined in international labour conventions 98 and 87. This is also contrary to Article 41 of the Kenyan constitution that gives unions the right to collective bargaining.

Addressing a press conference, the unions slammed the arrogant attitude of the Commission which has refused to meet with unions, despite making decisions which have direct impact on workers welfare.

Unions also questioned whether the government and it’s agencies were simply using the Commission to avoid honouring existing Agreements.

Workers in Kenya currently face significant economic hardship including inflation and increased taxes on basic goods. Unions pointed out that the SRC's statement that “ salary increment and housing allowance negotiate at 0%” leaves no room for negotiation: ‘How do two parties go into a negotiation already concluded by another third party, is that then a negotiation?’

The unions vowed to use all means available including litigation, community mobilization, media engagement and International Labour Conference mechanisms to protect the right to collective bargaining that had been taken away the Salary Review Commission.

They noted "as unions we will not stand by and see the rights of our members violated by a commission whose membership are drawn from private sector and do not understand the ethos of public sector, and thus being a tool of weakening unions in public sector."

They urged health workers to stand strong as their strike was within the law and vowed that if the Government did not address the issues of the sector, they will mobilise other public sector workers to join. They called upon unionists across the globe to help them in their fight to protect the fundamental right to collective bargaining in anyway possible.