Kenya postal workers have downed tools to protest the non-payment of their salaries and the non-remittance of statutory deduction by their employer for the past six months.

Central Region Branch Secretary Communication Workers Union of Kenya (COWU) Solomon Shikanda has said that the workers will continue to paralyse all operations at the Postal Corporation of Kenya until such a time that their salary arrears are paid in full.

Postal workers join doctors and universities who have been forced to resort to industrial action to compel employers to listen to their grievances.

“We have exhausted all avenues including dialogue but none of them seem to be working. Even after performing our work diligently, we are still not getting paid and so we have said enough is enough. We have decided to down our tools until our salaries are paid in full,” Shikanda said.

The strike comes after the expiration of a strike issued Communication Workers Union issued more than a month ago asking the government settle Ksh1.5 billion ($11.5 million) debt owed to workers. Last week COWU Secretary General Besnon Okwaro gave the government until October 26 to settle the arrears, failing which they would down their tools starting October 27.

Shikanda said the salary delay had exposed the postal workers to untold suffering with some being reported to be suffering from stress and depression.

“It is not easy for anyone remain afloat without a salary under the current harsh economic times. We have taken up debts everywhere and our debtors are running out of patience with us. Rent for our staff is in arrears, feeding ourselves is a challenge, those of us with children in universities have been forced to ask them defer their studies,” he said.

The central region branch secretary said the workers are ready to call off the strike once their grievances have been addressed by the corporation. He is now asking the government to follow up on debts owed to the corporation by other government agencies in order to clear their salary arrears.

“Huduma Centre owes us Ksh1.6 billion ($12.4 million) in rent arrears dating back to 2013.The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission also owe us some Ksh400 million ($3.4 million) for transporting election material during the 2022 general election. If you sum up the two debts, that money is enough to clear our salary arrears and to pay our salaries for another year,” Shikanda said.

“We are just fighting for our salaries. We are not even demanding a pay rise and according to labour laws, these are basic rights,” he added.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Wangari Mwangi