GDC on the spot over allegations of 'oppressive' labour practices

Morris Kimuli, the lawyer for aggrieved employees of Geothermal Development Company. [File, Standard]

The Geothermal Development Company (GDC) is facing allegations of unconstitutional, unlawful, discriminatory, and unfair labour practices.

A letter from lawyer Morris Kimuli indicates that some employees, who have been with the company for between 10 and 15 years, are complaining about poor working conditions, denied benefits, and harmful company policies.

They claim these policies are designed to humiliate, suppress, and degrade them, and that their attempts to seek peaceful solutions have either been ignored or left unaddressed.

"The company has, instead of addressing these genuine grievances, resorted to silence and, at times, issued express, implied, and subtle threats to those advocating for better working conditions," the letter states.

The employees have formally raised their concerns, documented their grievances, and requested meetings with management to find resolutions.

Among the letters sent to the company was one dated March 20, 2025, requesting a meeting to discuss proposed changes regarding migration, upgrades, and redesignation.

Kimuli explains that this letter was sent to the General Manager of Corporate Services and followed up with a reminder on April 1.

However, no response was received, prompting the employees to escalate their concerns to the company's managing director and chief executive officer.

Grievances raised

On April 25, a meeting was held at the GDC office in Nakuru, where grievances were raised and acknowledged. Despite this, four additional letters were sent to management, but no action has been taken.

To date, Kimuli states that his clients' grievances remain unresolved. He has been instructed to initiate legal action to compel the company to cease the oppressive, discriminatory, humiliating, degrading, and demeaning treatment.

Although his clients have been with the company for over 10 years, they remain at entry-level positions. "The current implementation of policies by the company will ensure that they remain at entry-level grade," the letter states.

Kimuli elaborates that the employees have served as entry-level graduates at Grade 8, but in 2024, the company established a new structure that recognised Grade 7 as the entry-level grade.

"In March 2025, my clients were moved to Grade 7 in what the company termed 're-designation and upgrade'. However, this was not an upgrade, because under the new structure, Grade 7 is now the entry level," he notes.

He points out that any graduate joining the company will now be at the same grade as his clients, who have been employed for over a decade.

"The company has also failed to follow and implement its own Human Resource policies. My clients have historically faced unfair treatment and humiliation, including being excluded from a January 2016 annual increment granted to other staff members," he adds.

Kimuli states that their demands to be moved to Grade 6 have gone unheard, even as the company promoted some staff who joined after only four years to permanent and pensionable positions.

"Due to the restructured system, they have lost benefits, including income and allowances," he observes.

The employees have threatened to take legal action unless the company acknowledges its liability for unfair treatment and commits to resolving their grievances.