Cotu warms up to referendum just to have SRC disbanded
Central Organisation of Trade Union Secretary-General Francis Atwoli at a past function. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Workers union claims Cotu had been interfering in CBA talks between workers and employers.
- Mr Atwoli says Labour ministry should ensure that SRC, an independent commission, sticks to its constitutional mandate.
- Trade union leader says he would back the proposed referendum just to have the salaries team disbanded.
The Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu) has threatened to root for the disbandment of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) accusing it of unnecessary interference in trade disputes.
The trade union secretary-general Francis Atwoli on Monday claimed SRC has been frustrating collective bargaining agreement (CBA) talks between employers and workers.
“SRC has become the greatest impediment and threat to any negotiations between employers and workers. It should stick to its advisory role and stop interfering with CBAs and other negotiations,” Mr Earnest Nadome said in a speech on behalf of his boss Mr Atwoli.
Cotu now wants the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to ensure SRC, an independent commission, steers clear of negotiations between workers and employers.
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The trade umbrella body warned it would support the proposed referendum just to have SRC disbanded.
“With the interference by SRC, I am afraid that industrial unrests in various sectors will even become worse because as unions we find it strange that freely negotiated documents between employers and workers can suddenly become a subject of court litigation spearheaded by the SRC,” said Mr Atwoli.
The call to have SRC restricted to its constitutional mandate gained the backing of officials of other trade unions attending a workshop in Nakuru on negotiation skills.
Participants in the workshop include members of Kenya Universities Staff Union, Universities Academic Staff Union, Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers, Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Inter-Public Universities' Councils Consultative Forum and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The workshop was jointly sponsored by the Labour ministry and International Labour Organization.
