Civil servants' union sues State over stalled pay deal

By Standard Reporter

Union of Kenya Civil Servants has sued the Government over failure to sign a collective bargaining agreement with its unionisable employees.

Union Secretary General Tom Odege said his members, who form three-quarters of the civil service, have been patient for too long.

In a press statement, Mr Odege said the Government’s alleged reluctance to sign the CBA was demoralising workers.

He said it was wrong to push workers to sign performance contracts without reciprocating by signing the CBA. The secretary said the CBA outlines review of the various schemes of service and allowances his members are entitled to, alongside the pending final 17 per cent salary increment agreed upon about two years ago.

The union moved to the Industrial Court on Monday through its legal consultant Rachier and Amollo Company Advocates seeking to have the Government compelled to honour its agreement with the union over civil servants’ welfare.

He also blamed the Government for allegedly relenting on its earlier pledge to introduce hardship allowance to civil servants in the mildly arid areas.

The official said innocent workers "were getting punished" over the Government’s non-commitment to its pledges.

He also took issue with the Treasury for alleged failure to provide the Sh200 million agreed between the union and the Government in 2009 for capacity building in the civil service in line with the Vision 2030.