Trade unions in the public sector have disputed the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) job evaluation exercise and accusing the agency of overstepping its mandate.
The unions, which are affiliated to the global Public Service International (PSI) urged the government to immediately and unconditionally withdraw the just unveiled job evaluation report or face a national strike in the public sector in the next three weeks.
Speaking in Nairobi yesterday, the unions under the umbrella of the Association of Public Sector Unions accused SRC of failing to involve key stakeholders in the sector before coming up with the document.
Led by National Coordinating Committee chair Ernest Nadome, they termed the exercise as a sham, interfering with roles of trade unions and going against the Constitution and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
“Our more than 150,000 members share the conviction that productivity should be anchored on equal pay for equal work done against SRC’s recommendation of “fair play for fair pay”, he said.
“Furthermore, we are mindful and conscious of the rights conferred to workers and their unions on right to engage on a collective bargaining agreement with their employers added the Kenya Electrical Trade and Allied Workers Union (Ketawu) secretary general.
Kenya County Government Workers Union secretary general Roba Duba accused SRC of continuing to side step on its mandate of setting and reviewing remuneration for state officers and offering advice to state organs and stifling space for genuine participatory negotiations.
He also blamed the Labour ministry for abdicating its role and reiterated that an umbrella negotiating forum for the public sector should be established.
“As critical trade unions in the public the sector, we are left wondering whether the “Paterson method” was the best option available,” he said adding that it will affect the unions and its members to carry on with effective social dialogue in negotiations.
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