'200 guards sacked for joining union'

Kenya: A private guards' union has claimed hundreds of security guards have been sacked after joining the trade union movement.

The Kenya National Private Security Workers' Union (KNPSWU) said since January, more than 200 members have been sacked after they filled forms to join the union. The union's Secretary General Isaac Andabwa said the companies took the action to intimidate workers intending to join the union.

"This is unfair and illegal and we are taking up the matter with the relevant authorities. Joining a union is not a criminal offence," said Andabwa.

Mr Andabwa criticised three leading companies for taking the 'unfair' route. He said most of the reasons for dismissal were flimsy, citing a case in which a guard was allegedly sacked for not putting on a raincoat yet it is the employer who should provide the garment.

Andabwa said the rate of sackings was alarming. He claimed the Ministry of Labour had ordered the reinstatement of five guards who had been unprocedurally sacked.

The official claimed most employers felt threatened by the large number of the workforce joining KNPSWU.

Blaming the situation on poor pay, Andabwa told the companies to pay the workers better salaries.

Claiming that one security firm had sacked 40 guards, Andabwa accused some employers of not sticking to the industrial dispute resolution mechanism before taking the drastic action.

"Security firms must accept that we are under a new Constitution, which is clear on Article 41 and they are not exempted from those provisions. If any employer will ignore what the Constitution says and sack our members, we will issue strike notices to protest what they are doing," said Andabwa.

He said companies were arm-twisting workers to dissuade them from joining the union, noting that some after entering into Recognition Agreements were reluctant to sign Collective Bargaining Agreements. Chief Labour Relations Officer Geofrey Omondi said they are investigating the claims.