Staff at the Nairobi Metropolitan Services have threatened to go on strike over delayed October salary.
The 6,852 workers through the Kenya County Government Workers Union have raised concerns over the delay, saying they are unable to fend for their families.
In a letter addressed to NMS director general Mohammed Badi, the union accused the entity of going against the provisions of good labour practices as entrenched in the Kenyan constitution.
“It has come to the attention of the union that despite discussing this matter over and over again with the concerned officers at NMS, our members serving at NMS from various sector have not been paid their October salaries to date. In our view it is obvious that your intentions are not good,” the letter dated November 9, 2021, reads in part.
The union's deputy secretary for Nairobi branch Augustine Wafula said the non-payment has affected the staff as their performance is slowly diminishing resulting to low productivity.
Last year April, the Public Service Commission chairman seconded 6,852 staff following the deed of transfer that saw core county functions taken over by the National government.
The union has also accused NMS of failing to make prior engagement to ensure its staff receive their salaries at the end of every month as the law stipulates.
“This is indeed saddening that the commitment being put in place by our members to ensure high returns is not making any sense to the management and thus resorting to subjecting our members to such kind of environment, yet like any other members of human race, they are expected to attend to their obligations promptly,” reads the letter.
The letter was copied to Nairobi Governor, Nairobi County Labour Officer and the Nairobi County Assembly clerk.
Speaking to the Star, the union's Nairobi branch secretary Festus Ngari said NMS had requested Treasury to release Sh822,075,848 million for salaries.
“It is strange that our other staff attached to City Hall have already been paid. Today is November 10, yet no payment,” he said.
In a letter seen by the Star, the Controller of State House Kinuthia Mbugua on October 27, 2021 had written to the Treasury requesting for the requisition of Sh822,075,848 million for wage bill and other payroll.
“The purpose of this letter is to seek prompt consideration and placement of the requisition for the approval of the Controller of Budget an transfer of Sh822,075,848 million from the CRF to the Recurrent Nairobi Metropolitan Service Account 1000500123 held at Central Bank of Kenya ," reads the letter addressed to County Finance Executive Allan Igambi.
As a result, the union is urging NMS to release the October salary immediately or the workers will resort to industrial action as per the provisions of the labor relations Act.
Moving forward, the union also wants NMS to come up with future plans on timely salary payment for their staff.
“The union will have no other option but to resort to industrial action as per the provisions of the labor relations Act, this humble appeal is not given the attention it calls ,” reads the union's letter.
-Edited by SKanyara