The Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) Kericho branch has rejected Unilever Tea Company’s “peanuts” early retirement offer to its workers.     

The United Kingdom-based tea company intends through the “the voluntary separation” to cuts down its 50,000 non?management employees in its tea estates in the tea growing counties. Dickson sang, the KPAWU Kericho branch secretary called on their members to reject the offer until the union strikes a better deal. The company announced the move on July 27 through a signed notice by Mercy Wanyonyi, the Unilever tea human resource manager. The company stated that it was going to pay gratuity as per the collective bargain agreement (CBA) and severance pay of 23 days for each of completed year of service.