Boniface Kavivu, Secretary-General, Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers (KUCFAW) Kenya Union of Commercial, Food and Allied Workers (KUCFAW) has written to the retailer warning them against implementing the unpaid leave work schedule , which the firm had communicated to take effect this month. “This is to remind you that pay cuts or salary reductions is a subject matter in Cause No. 199 of 2020 where there is an Interim Order issued and dated 3rd June 2020 to the subsist until ruling date. Further, there’s no mutual agreement to send employees on mandatory unpaid leave. Your intended action through the Regional and Branch Managers is in disregard of the Court order which is in your possession”, the letter from KUCFAW stated in part.
KUCFAW which went to court in June to stop the struggling Tuskys from firing 80 staff has said that the supermarket has ignored calls for talks several times.
They wrote, “it is worthy to remind you that we have time and again invited you to dialogue on this matter to realize a consensus, which call appear to have been ignored in the false hope that it is your position which must carry the day”. Dan Githua - Tuskys CEO
Tuskys supermarket entered an evident struggling phase after the economic slowdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. The retailer, now under government watchlist, failed to pay Sh1.2 billion owed to suppliers.
The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has since launched investigations into Tuskys’ bank accounts over this matter. The retailer has been asked to avail of all bank statements related to their bank accounts to aid in investigations.
CAK has also directed Tuskys to pay suppliers by July 16, 2020 failure to which, those in charge risk being jailed.
Yesterday, the source that shared the memo sending staff on unpaid leave had stated rather grimly that '"It’s true the famous tusker mattresses is down”
Dan Githua has been accused of running down the Supermarket, with some predictions showing the retailer started ailing years ago. ALSO READ: Tuskys Supermarket now sends staff on unpaid leave Documents Tuskys supermarket memo to staff directing a unpaid leave policy KUCFAW Letter to Tuskys signed by the SG Boniface Kavuvi