Nairobi governor Mike Sonko/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 5 – Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has warned city hall workers who have threatened to go on strike over delayed August salaries, among other reasons, to do so at their own peril.
His statement response to the county workers’ threat to down their tools should the county government fail to pay Sh18 billion in unpaid statutory deductions and last month’s salary by Wednesday.
Sonko pointed out that it was wrong for the union to call a strike before conclusion of negotiations and accused the union’s city branch chief Benson Olianga of not presenting the workers’ grievances to the devolved unit properly.
He stated that his administration would not work under threats, intimidation, blackmail or coercion and that should the worker resort to go on strike, City Hall will fire them and hire those who need jobs.
Nairobi Branch County Government Workers’ Union secretary general Olianga said the former government owes the workers Sh11 billion for Laptrust, 6 billion for Lapfund, over Sh500,000 in penalties for NHIF and NSSF deductions and Sh1.2 billion for salaries.
Sonko said Olianga had resorted to threats and blackmail “instead of following the laid down procedures”.
The governor said if any of the 15,000 unionised workers heeded Olunga’s strike call, they would be rendered jobless.
“Please take note that Nairobi City has more than a million jobless but qualified people who are ready to take your positions as soon as you down your tools,” he said.
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