Dock union blasts COTU on rates

Dockworkers Union Secretary General Simon Sang (third left) in solidarity with some Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) unionisable workers sing PHOTO: COURTESY

Dock Workers Union has appealed to the Central Organisation of Trade Union to accept the new National Social Security Fund rates.

The trade union has been opposed to the Sh1,080 workers' monthly pension contribution proposed by NSSF. The workers umbrella body has maintained its support for the monthly Sh200 and sued to stop the new rates in 2013 leading to a stalemate that persists to date.

In a statement, Sang who represents more than 5,000 Kenya Ports Authority workers noted that cumulatively the Sh200 contribution per month would come to a paltry Sh144,000 for a worker earning Sh15,000 monthly after working for 30 years.

"This is as good as not contributing at all. My advice to COTU is to withdraw the case and let employers and employees contribute Sh1,080 which will be equivalent to a cumulative savings of Sh777,600 for a start and negotiate for 20/10 per cent contribution from employer and employees respectively," Sang said.