Details of 2023/25 CBA deal signed between NSSF and KUCFAW

Employees of the National Social Security Fund who are members of the Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers (KUCFAW) have a reason to smile.

This is after the union signed the 2023/25 Collective Bargaining Agreement that will see the employees benefit from several provisions in the deal.

The 2023/2025 CBA was signed between NSSF and KUCFAW on October 31 and comes into effect from July 1, 2023, for two years.

Under the agreement, no employee joining the fund under job grade 7 will earn below Sh39,720 while those under Grade 8 will earn not less than 33,209 at job entry.

The agreement will also see all employees who are in service as of July 1, 2023, awarded a wage increment of eight per cent on their basic salary to cover the first year (2023/24) of the agreement.

“Any employee in service as of July 1, 2024, will be awarded a wage increase of eight per cent of his or her basic salary to cover the second year 2024/25 of the agreement,” the document reads.

Any new unionisable employee who joins the fund will also be entitled to the wage increment as per the agreement but after serving 12 consecutive months.

The CBA further stipulates that an employee who is promoted will either be placed at the salary entry point of the higher post or be given an increase of 10 per cent of his or her basic salary whichever is higher.

The CBA further stipulates that an employee who is in service as of July 1, 2023, will be awarded a five per cent increase on their current house allowance to cover the first year of the agreement.

An employee who is in service as of July 1, 2024, will be awarded a seven per cent increment on their current house allowance to cover the second year of the agreement.

An employee proceeding on not less than half of their annual leave entitlement shall be paid a leave allowance amounting to six per cent of their annual basic salary before proceeding on such leave.

Similarly, employees who are in service as of July 1, 2023, will be awarded a five per cent increase on their transport or commuter allowance to cover the first year of the agreement with those who will be in service as of July 1, 2024, receiving a seven per cent increase to cover the second year.

“If an employee is called upon to take charge of an office higher than his, or her own and does not qualify for acting allowance, she/she will be paid special duty allowance at the rate of 15 per cent of his/her substantive basic salary for the period worked,” the deal says.

The CBA also stipulates that all employees stationed in any of the gazette hardship areas will be granted hardship allowance at the rate of Sh12,000 per month.

However, those who will be absent from the said areas for more than 30 days will not be entitled to the hardship allowance.

Similarly, those who are not stationed in the hardship areas but travel to such areas will not qualify for the allowance unless they stay there for more than 30 days.

The employees will be granted 30 working days by the fund as annual leave.

“An employee who is officially recalled to the office from leave for any reason will be regarded as travelling on duty and his/her travelling expenses from the home district shall be reimbursed,” the agreement says.

The employees will also be entitled to three months maternity leave with full pay for women and 14 working days for male employees.

“Time off shall be given for breastfeeding mothers at three hours a day for three months after resumption of duty,” it says.

Employees who fall sick shall be entitled to 150 consecutive days of absence on full pay thereafter, and 150 consecutive days of absence on half pay.

This will be subject to the production of a medical certificate authorizing such a leave signed by an approved registered medical practitioner.