• The management of Veg Pro Kenya limited, which owns Gorge farm and Delamare Pivot farms in Naivasha, decided to send the workers home after a meeting called to resolve their grievances failed to reach an agreement.
• Workers are paid a measly Sh4,500 per month, says union
The fate of more than 1,000 striking workers from Gorge farm and Delamare Pivot farms in Naivasha hangs in the balance after the management decided to sack them.
The management of Veg Pro Kenya limited, which owns the two farms, decided to send the workers home after a meeting called to resolve their grievances failed to reach an agreement.
However, the union and the labour office accused the farm - which is involved in flower and vegetable production - of bad faith and flouting the law.
The union promised to take the matter to court arguing that this was against labour laws and an abuse to the workers constitutional rights.
Last week, workers from the two farms downed their tools over low wages, harassment and poor working conditions.
According to the Kenya Export Floriculture, Horticulture and Allied Workers Union, the move to terminate the workers contract was illegal.
Union Industrial relations officer Issa Wafula said the farm management first walked out of the first meeting alleging that they had not been officially invited.
He added that in the second meeting, the farm regional human resource manager Joseph Otin announced that they would not take back the 1,000 workers who were still on strike.
“The owners of Gorge farm and Delamare Pivot farms say that they have terminated the contracts of the workers and this is illegal,” he said.
Wafula said they were ready to seek legal redress in courts, adding that the farm had continued to oppress workers in the name of employment.
“This farm is ranked as the worst in terms of wages in Naivasha by paying Sh4,500 per month despite raking in millions from exports,” he said.
“The workers are further subjected to other hidden deductions and at times they go home with less that Sh1,000 at the end of the month,” he said.
Wafula accused the farm of failing to adhere to the law by collecting the union dues and failing to remit them, adding that the High Court seating in Kericho has fully recognized the union.
The union national organising secretary James Okeyo said they had tried to engage the farm on several occasions over the workers' grievances but this had been ignored.
“The problem with the farm is tribalism in the management and failure to follow the law as we had served them with strike notice but they failed to act on the workers grievances,” he said.