Artcaffe Restaurants Exposed by staff
Newsroom 2 min read
Story so far
The important points without the noise.
Confirmed
- Multiple Artcaffé employees allege poor working conditions, including exhausting 'funga fungua' shifts and inadequate staff meals.
- Claims have surfaced about unsafe late-night transport arrangements, leaving staff in vulnerable situations.
- Former employees allege harsh discipline, poor HR support, and unfair treatment, especially during pregnancy or personal emergencies.
- A whistleblower claims management practices at branches like Two Rivers and Windsor involve unfair treatment and salary deductions.
- Artcaffé Kileleshwa staff report poor facility conditions, with flooded changing rooms and wet lockers during rainy weather.
More context
Reported claims
- Employees allege deductions of leave days due to issues like transport strikes.
- A former employee claims management culture at Two Rivers branch led to mental and physical distress.
- A supervisor alleges 12-hour shifts and poor pay without adequate support.
- A whistleblower claims employees face unfavorable treatment after maternity leave.
- Kileleshwa staff allege poor changing room conditions, affecting their privacy and dignity.
Hello Nyakundi,
Please hide my identity. I am a staff member at Artcaffé, and we are really suffering under the current management conditions at the branch.
First, last week our PHs, off days, and leave days were deducted simply because of the matatu strike, something that was completely beyond our control as employees. It is unfair for management to punish staff for a nationwide transport crisis that affected everyone.
Secondly, the transport situation for staff working late shifts is becoming dangerous. Imagine the staff van arriving at the branch around 1:40 AM, then dropping employees along the highway at around 2 AM and leaving everyone to figure out how to get home safely on their own. This is not secure at all, especially for staff members going home at such hours.
The worst issue is the “FUNGA FUNGUA” shifts. Right now it is around 3 AM and I have just come from the PM shift, yet I am expected to wake up again at 4 AM to prepare and report back to work. We barely get any sleep. You enter the next shift already exhausted and sleepy, which is extremely risky especially in a busy restaurant environment where mistakes and accidents can easily happen because of fatigue.
We are mentally and physically drained. Some of us cannot even sleep properly because by the time you reach home, it is already time to prepare for the next shift again. This is not healthy and it is affecting staff wellbeing badly.
Another major issue is staff meals. There is no proper breakfast and sometimes no lunch at all, yet employees are expected to work long exhausting hours. Nobody seems concerned about staff welfare anymore.
Please let this reach HR because workers are really suffering. We are asking management to listen to staff concerns and improve these working conditions before things get worse.
Support
Support this reporting
M-Pesa support recorded against this story.
Stay close
Get the briefing
Major updates by email. No spam.
Share
Save share card
Download a clean portrait card for sharing.