This archive report was first published on 4 June 2020.
On June 4, 2020, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts management announced the withdrawal of a notice issued in May to lay off all its staff due to the economic impact of the novel Coronavirus.
The decision was made after a consultative meeting held with the Workers Committee Management and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospital Workers (KUDHEIHA) on Wednesday.
According to a memo, the management stated, 'We would like to reiterate that the owners, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and subsequently Accor Hotels are very committed towards the health, safety and wellbeing of the employees.'
As part of the agreement, the management has withdrawn the said memo, and the parties will continue with consultative meetings until an agreement is reached.
Among the issues discussed during the meeting was the payment of 50 per cent of salary payments for the month of May.
The affected employees had raised complaints through the office of the Attorney General, prompting the government to seek an explanation from the management over the mass sacking.
On May 30, 2020, Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto wrote to the management, stating that the matter was 'of profound public interest' and could affect many households.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had also noted the job losses in the hospitality sector during the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2020, and directed the National Treasury to allocate Ksh2 billion to the tourism sector to cushion members of staff affected.
