The Kenya Meat Commission has interdicted more than 80 workers at its Athi River factory after a two-day go-slow in the production department.
The affected employees were handed letters on Wednesday and then stopped from entering the premises, where armed police officers were stationed outside. Management also instructed security staff not to admit any of the interdicted workers.
The dispute came as the plant tried to restart operations after three weeks of inactivity. The first batch of 120 cattle arrived for slaughter on Monday, but workers responded by slowing down work, prompting a confrontation with management.
A letter dated November 27 and signed by managing commissioner James Ole Serian says the workers were dismissed for misconduct. The notice is headed “interdiction pending investigations into gross misconduct.”
It states that the commission had identified actions and omissions that amounted to gross misconduct under Clause 14.4.19 of the Kenya Meat Commission Human Resource Policy, Regulations and Procedures Manual and Clause 17(a) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The workers rejected the action, saying they were being punished for demanding their rights. They said they had downed tools from Monday over gratuity, pay increases and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“We’re being victimised for demanding our rights. We have been suffering for years since the company was revived in 2006. We demand Agriculture Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to intervene,” said Wyclife Kibet, one of the affected workers.
