Journalists awarded 23pc pay rise

By STANDARD REPORTERS

The Standard and Nation Media Group journalists have been awarded a 23 per cent salary increment among other benefits following the signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The CBA was signed during meeting attended by the management of Nation Media Group (NMG), Standard Group Limited (SGL) and Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) officials during a ceremony held at Stanley Hotel in Nairobi on Wednesday.

NMG Editorial Manager David Aduda and KUJ Chairman Oscar Obonyo said the agreement was signed following a series of meetings.

In the agreement, KUJ members will from now get a salary increase of 11 per cent, which will be backdated to April, while they will also get a 12 per cent salary increase from April next year.

“The CBA commenced on April 1 and shall remain in force for two years until March 31, 2016,” said Obonyo.

The event was also attended by SGL Human Resource Director Pauline Kiraithe, Eric Kivuva (legal officer) and Andy Kagwa (editorial manager), while NMG was represented by Human Resource Director David Kiambi and legal officer Sekou Owino.

“The two media organisations are pro-union,” said Ms Kiraithe.

Leave allowance

In the new CBA, employees going on annual leave will be entitled to Sh11,076 for the first year and Sh12,738 in the second year and will not have to forfeit the allowance if leave is not taken.

The CBA also pushes the members’ retirement age from 55 to 60 years.

Meanwhile, parliamentary journalists have elected new leaders.

Among those elected were NMG’s Caroline Wafula to the position of chairperson and SGL journalist Moses Njagih as deputy secretary.