Workers at Athi River based Harvest Flowers Limited Company have downed tools citing frustrations from their employer.
The over 800 employees demonstrated on Monday demanding sacking of the company’s human resources manager Sylvester Mwabire, Finance Manager David Moria and procurement manager George Onyango, who they accused of colluding to frustrate and exploit them.
The protests paralysed operations in the firm as the demonstrators barricaded the Athi River – Kinanie Road that leads to the company.
They barred vehicles and clients from accessing the company.
Addressing the press at the company on Saturday, the workers’ spokesman Paul Mboya said the three were corrupt hence helping the management to fleece the employees of their hard earned cash.
Mboya said despite the fact that the workers were paid wages of as low as Sh230 per day, they were subjected to SACCO levies deductions which the management did not remit to Athi Harvest SACCO as expected.
He said the amount deducted from the workers but have not been remitted to the sacco had accumulated to more than Sh22 million over the last seven months.
Mboya said the members could not receive loans from STIMA Sacco where they had their welfare savings since it was closed down due to corruption.
He said other levies not remitted by the employer were Pay as you earn, while some of the workers who serve the company as casuals had not been paid their dues for the last two months.
Mboya said those who earn either Sh230 per day or Sh6,000 in a month should have increments since the pay is little as compared to nature of their work and eight hours in which they work on daily basis.
“We are not receiving salary in good time, we are oppressed. We should be paid our service so that we quit job,” said worker Christine Otondi.
Otondi said they had lots of problems that they could not continue persevering.
Mboya said several workers were unable to pay fee for their children while some had been ejected from rental houses due to rent arrears.
They said they will not resume work until the three are sacked and their grievances addressed.
Kenya Plantation Agricultural Workers Union, Machakos Branch Secretary Lawrence Ombira condemned the firm for mistreating the workers.
“As a union, we are condemning the manner in which the company is handling workers. It's frustrating them, we have tried to negotiate but nothing,” said Ombira.
He said the company was in breach of Collective Bargain Agreement hence called for the government’s intervention.
Attempts to reach the management were futile since their offices were deserted.