The Government and the Kenya Union of Civil Servants signed the Collective Bargaining Agreement for the 2021–2025 Cycle this morning in Nairobi.
Mr. Amos Gathecha, principal secretary of the State Department for Public Service, who oversaw the event, acknowledged the significance of working with trade unions to negotiate Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) in the interests of public employees in order to promote cordial labour relations and industrial actions in the public service.
He noted that a fragmented approach to collective bargaining negotiations, coupled with the absence of a common negotiating body and a subsequent framework to guide the negotiations, had resulted in numerous different collective bargaining agreements being signed by various public sector entities at both the national and county levels of government that do not adhere to any standard norms and are frequently devoid of strict conformity to the prevalent terms and conditions of service for employees.
He continued by saying that the approach had resulted in a number of difficulties, including differences, discord, and inconsistencies in the pay and benefit structures in the public sector, delays in the conclusion of collective bargaining processes, ongoing labour unrest among employees, and disruption of crucial service delivery in various sectors.
“In order to address the matter, the State Department for Public Service together with the relevant government agencies, has finalised working on a framework to standardise and guide the process of collective bargaining negotiations in the public service,” said Gathecha.
He added, “Some of the key areas include the terms and conditions of the CBA with the UKCS, comprehensive medical and group life insurance schemes for civil servants development of a payroll management policy to ensure a sustainable public service wage bill among others.”
The Principal Secretary remarked that after going over the CBA, the committee had effectively completed the negotiation process in the areas of salaries, allowances and related matters, employer-employee relations, leave entitlements, medical benefits and related matters, and cessation of employment.
The CBA is based on a Ksh 1,135,408,744 budget allocation and will go into effect on July 1st, 2023. Starting on July 1st, 2024, the second phase will operate on a budget of Kshs. 1,126,486,162/-. A budget of Kshs. 115,071,472 for the first phase and Kshs. 223,694,412/- for the second phase of the home allowance review has been approved by the Salaries Review Commission.
