Salaries and Remuneration Commission allays lay-off fears over appraisal

SRC chair Sarah Serem says the ongoing job evalution does not in any way lead to job losses.

The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has allayed fears of massive job losses once the ongoing job evaluation exercise in the public sector is completed.

SRC says the exercise is meant to create harmony, stability and equality in the public service and will go a long way in addressing disparities.

“Job evaluation is not rationalisation or retrenchment as people may think. This does not in any way lead to job losses but is a solution-based and objective system to address disparities,” SRC chair Sarah Serem said Thursday.

Mrs Serem said the exercise would cover all public sectors and create a standard procedure of finding the skills, competences and qualifications needed for each job group.

However, even as SRC gave the assurance, employees of the public secto,r especially those working for State corporations, have rejected the exercise.

The Kenya Electrical Trades and Allied Workers Union (KEAWU) threatened to call a strike and plunge the country into darkness if they are compelled to undertake the exercise.

“We are telling Sarah Serem to keep off parastatals such as KenGen and Kenya Power. All State corporations are not the same and you cannot hold an exercise that will create a uniform pay across them,” KEAWU Secretary General Vincent Okulo said.

According to Okulo, the employees in the energy sector have an internal evaluation exercise which is based on performance and conducted regularly.

“We don’t get our money from the public coffers and thus we will not be part of what Serem is suggesting but if she forces us, then we shall call the mother of all strikes. We will cause a blackout starting from Serem’s office,” Okulo added.

Public service

Speaking Thursday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre during a meeting with heads of state corporations, SRC commissioners appealed to employees in the public sector to embrace the exercise, saying in the long run it may end up benefiting them.

According to the salaries’ body, re-evaluation of State jobs is aimed at establishing the productivity of workers to ensure value for money.

Already human resource firms of Deloitte & Touche and Ernest & Young have been hired to spearhead the exercise while SRC has picked Media Edge to provide communication strategy.