What You Need to Know
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has warned employers about salary delays, criticizing their failure to honor agreements. He threatened that non-compliant employers may be excluded from the upcoming Labour Day celebrations in Vihiga. Atwoli’s remarks highlight ongoing issues regarding wage negotiations and economic pressures faced by workers.
Africa-Press – Kenya. COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has issued a stern warning to employers across the country over what he termed as continued reluctance to adjust workers’ salaries despite existing agreements and presidential directives.
Speaking on Saturday, April 18, at a COTU shop stewards’ meeting in Nairobi, the long-serving union leader criticised the Federation of Kenyan Employers (FKE) and other private-sector players for failing to honour salary review commitments.
Atwoli accused employers of deliberately delaying the implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), even after they have been mutually negotiated and signed with unions representing workers.
He argued that such delays have continued to disadvantage employees, many of whom are grappling with the rising cost of living and inflationary pressures.
As a result, the COTU boss warned that non-compliant employers risk being locked out of this year’s Labour Day celebrations scheduled for May 1 in Vihiga County.
The event is expected to be presided over by President William Ruto, with workers’ unions planning to use the platform to push for better pay and improved working conditions.
Atwoli further accused employers of sidelining unions in key decision-making forums, even as they continue to receive invitations to union-led meetings on matters of mutual interest.
“We do not want employers to attend our meetings or Labour Day celebrations without invitation because they do not care about our interests and often delay implementing agreements,” Atwoli said.
He added that in many cases, employers drag negotiations for years, only implementing salary increments after being compelled by circumstances, often accompanied by accumulated arrears.
The union leader also raised concerns over alleged tax evasion practices by some companies, accusing them of using shell entities to under-declare income and avoid meeting tax obligations.
“They even try to shortchange the government by trading using shell companies so that they can fail to pay taxes. That is very unacceptable,” he stated.
Atwoli’s remarks come at a time when pressure is mounting on the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to address fresh wage demands from public sector workers.
Civil servants from 19 independent commissions, represented by the Kenya Independent Commissions Workers Union, have demanded salary increases of between 20 and 50 per cent, citing economic hardship and delayed reviews.
The union has issued a 14-day ultimatum for negotiations to begin, warning that failure to engage could escalate labour tensions across key government institutions.
The issue of salary delays in Kenya has been a persistent challenge, often leading to tensions between employers and workers’ unions. Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) are meant to ensure fair wages and working conditions, but delays in their implementation have been common. This situation has been exacerbated by rising living costs, prompting unions like COTU to take a stand against non-compliant employers and advocate for workers’ rights. The upcoming Labour Day celebrations serve as a critical platform for these discussions.
