Workers numbering 10,671 to be promoted after inking deal with City Hall

A section of Nairobi County clinical officers demonstrate towards City Hall demanding to be promoted in their job grades by the county last year. [File, Standard]

Some 10,000 workers at City Hall are set to be promoted following the signing of a return to work agreement between the County Government and the staff.  

This even as the workers yesterday called off a two-day strike that had led to the partial paralysis of county operations. 

Some of the grievances the workers want to be addressed include stalled promotions, non-remittance of workers' statutory deductions and a poor working environment among other pertinent issues.

Disciplinary cases

Further, the workers also wanted pending disciplinary cases, inadequate uniforms and lack of re-designations addressed, and called for the proper handling of issues such as work injury compensation, payment of overtime, a refund of tuition fees allowance as well as granting of off duty days.

Devolution CEC Vesca Kangogo yesterday said City Hall and the workers under the Kenya County Government Workers Union had reached an agreement to address the plight of staff within 90 days.

“Following our two-day meeting with conciliator from the Ministry of Labour, we have agreed that the board will undertake an analysis on those advancing from one grade to another for the over 10,000 staff,” said Kangogo.

The return to work agreement also stipulated that all disciplinary cases be resolved within a month and that the union be involved in the promotion process to ensure that the process is above board.

Pending dues of all retirees will also be factored in the next annual budget for the 2020/2021 financial year.

“Consultations between the finance officer and the director human resources will determine whether the workers are paid directly or paid through AMACO insurance, which will pay according to the stipulated rates,” Kangogo said.

On the issue of unremitted pension deductions, it was resolved that all current contributions be paid in full, with monthly salaries and any arrears due for the current financial year cleared by June this year.

Negotiations

It was further resolved that a task-force be formed to address the issue of payment of overtime allowance and off duty days.

Kenya County Government Workers Union Nairobi branch secretary Boniface Waweru said the union was calling off the strike to allow for negotiations, but if their grievances were not resolved they would resort to industrial action.

“We had a CBA that was to address most issues such as stagnation of workers in one cadre for years, but the courts stopped us from implementing it,” said County Secretary Leboo Morintat, adding that deployment of promotion letters to deserving staff had already begun.