In what employees describe as a deepening crisis at one of the country's oldest footwear brands, Bata Kenya workers are up in arms against what they term unfair labour practices, alleging that more than 500 staff were abruptly dismissed earlier this month under questionable circumstances. Bata Kenya under fire over exploitative labour practices, including abrupt mass layoffs, 12-hour shifts without breaks, and misleading contracts that violate labour laws.
According to several affected employees, termination letters cited poor performance in previous months, even though the company’s operations manager allegedly informed them by phone that the layoffs were due to low sales in October.
Staff have also reported deteriorating working conditions, claiming they are compelled to work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. without lunch breaks, rest days, or time for worship.
Workers further allege that their contracts, which list official hours as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., are misleading and do not reflect the reality at the retail outlets.
Some say they are required to take photos upon reporting in the morning and again at night as proof of attendance, describing the environment as “exploitative and dehumanising.” Below is what one of the affected employees shared as a firsthand account, detailing the daily struggles, abrupt dismissals, and working conditions that staff say have left them overworked, underappreciated, and questioning the company’s adherence to labour laws. "Hi Cyprian. Kindly expose the exploitation that is going on in Bata stores. I have just learnt that earlier this month they terminated over 500 employees on grounds that October had no sales (statement from their operations manager, through a phone call), different from HR termination letters that stated they did not perform in the previous months. Staff are overworked and forced to work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with no lunch break, no offs, and no going to church as they are required to work from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., opposed to other days when they used to open from 10 a.m. The contract letter of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is only to cover them legally; on the ground, things are different. At least they should introduce shifts. They take photos as evidence of arrival at 8 a.m. and leaving at 8 p.m."