Port workers to down tools after talks collapse

By Patrick Beja

Unionisable Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) workers have announced that they would go on strike next Thursday to press for a raft of demands on their welfare.

The giant Dock Workers Union said dialogue on their demand for 3,128 contract employees to be absorbed on permanent terms has failed. The union executive committee said they would down tools to oppose an impending privatisation plan that could send home up to 4,300 KPA workers who are on permanent and pensionable terms.

KPA has 7,340 workers with 6,134 being members of the union.

General secretary Simon Sang, chairman Jeffa Kiti and treasurer Patrick Ating’a led the union top organ in declaring the strike notice yesterday.

"There is outright abuse of labour rights at the port. There is discrimination against 3,128 contract employees who have served for between three and 15 years," they said in statement issued at the DWU headquarters.

But in a quick rejoinder, KPA denied privatisation plans of the port or retrenchment of workers as claimed by the union.

KPA managing director Gichiri Ndua said the port would not be sold to a third party and planned restructuring targeted renovation of the old structure that has been in existence since 2002.

"This is meant to provide for growth in trade. Port traffic has risen from 10.5 to 19.8 million tones between then and 2010," Mr Ndua explained. He also dismissed claims of a major retrenchment.

"Besides, this would require Government approval which is needless because there are no such intentions", he said.

In the statement, KPA also denied it has employed many workers on casual basis and denied them labour rights.

"KPA has contracts that are freely entered with the holders and there are no casual employees in our payroll or any other records," Ndua stressed.

Mr Sang said they had cancelled earlier strikes to embrace dialogue but the talks have not been fruitful.

According to the union, consultations usually conducted under the Joint Industrial Council had been allegedly frustrated because KPA Board of Directors did not encourage dialogue.

Sang said the union was concerned about alleged lack of job security for casuals whose contracts have been slashed from three years to one.