The Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) national organising secretary Henry Omasire has defended the 30 per cent salary rise awarded to Finlay and Sasani tea pickers by the industrial court.
In a phone interview from the union headquarters in Nakuru on Sunday, Omasire said the pay rise awarded to the workers was realistic and the employers had no option but to agree on the modalities of paying the farmers.
"We are a union representing the interests of workers in Kenya mostly those working in larger farms and we are happy of the court award to the workers in tea estates and what the employers should look at now is on the modalities of paying the workers," said Omasire.
He further condemned the police brutality on tea workers experienced lately in Kericho and Bomet counties after workers refused to report to work due to delays of payment of the award. "
Kenya is governed by a constitution and it beats logic when Finlay management orders police officers to evict workers from their estate houses simply because they have refused to report to work since the court award has not been honoured," added Omasire.