State revokes parastatal union’s listing

 

Central Organisation of Trade Unions boss Francis Atwoli at a past function. He says they expressed concerns over registration of rival union for parastatal workers. Photo/File 

By DAVID HERBLING

In Summary

• The Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services has withdrawn the promotion licence of the National Union of Kenya Parastatal Employees (Nukpe) meaning it can no longer enlist members.
• The revocation of Nukpe comes after Business Daily exclusively published its registration by the government.
• The union was discreetly registered on July 9, in what would give birth to Kenya’s biggest trade union drawing members from the more than 200 State corporations that employ more than 500,000 workers.

The registration of a new trade union for parastatal workers has been revoked following an outcry from existing labour groups that saw it as an attempt to weaken the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu).

The Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services has withdrawn the promotion licence of the National Union of Kenya Parastatal Employees (Nukpe) meaning it can no longer enlist members.

“The certificate of promotion issued to you on July 9, 2012 is hereby withdrawn,” said a July 26 notice signed by the registrar of trade unions William Langat.

“Any further recruitment on behalf of the proposed Nukpe is deemed illegal.”

The revocation of Nukpe comes after Business Daily exclusively published its registration by the government.

The union was discreetly registered on July 9, in what would give birth to Kenya’s biggest trade union drawing members from the more than 200 State corporations that employ more than 500,000 workers.

Cotu and two unions, which represent parastatal workers — Kenya Electrical Trades and Allied Workers Union and Kenya Union of Commercial, Food and Allied Workers — wrote to the registrar of trade unions protesting the move to register a rival lobby.

“We wrote to the government pointing out that the registration of Nukpe had not been done according to the law,” said Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli in an interview with the Business Daily on Thursday.

The labour unions argued that parastatal employees were adequately represented and that there was no need for another union.

(Read: State headed for battle with Cotu over new union)

“This office has received numerous complaints from registered trade unions that your proposed union has attempted to recruit from institutions which are already represented by the existing trade unions thereby contravening the provisions of the Labour Relations Act,” said Mr Langat in his letter to Nukpe.

Nukpe interim secretary general Simion Kirui had argued that parastatal employees had unique needs such as inadequate representation during privatisation and layoffs.

“Trade unions affiliated to Cotu are predominantly from the private sector and they understand little about the challenges faced by employees in government institutions,” he said.

Parastatal workers are currently represented by different labour unions together with employees from the private sector based on their trade.

Trade unions affiliated to Cotu had vowed to oppose Nukpe when its application for full registration is opened for public participation