A section of the 800 Devki Steel Mill sacked employees camp at Kenya Engineering Workers Union, Athi River Branch office in Athi River town on Sunday. (Photo/Maugo Owiti/hivisasa.com)
Some of the 800 employees sacked by Devki Steel Mills have said they should be paid their money before more of them die.
They said they were worried five of their colleagues had died without receiving payments from the company more than two years since their ‘unlawful’ termination.
The 800 workers were sacked in June 2015 after the firm hired an external outsourcing company, Jokali Outsourcing to handle human resource matters.
The HR firm was contracted after the employees engaged in several demonstrations agitating for better terms and services, they wanted salary increment and effective payments of overtimes.
Jokali sacked all the employees and directed those interested to apply afresh for considerations if they met minimum qualification requirements set by it.
Only a few were reabsorbed while the 800 got sacked, some were victimized by the company for allegedly engaging in the demonstrations.
Devki’s former chief of steward Kepha Panyako said the sacked workers have exhausted all their resources trying to seek justice in vain.
“We are seriously suffering since Devki terminated our services, a majority of us have nothing left. All our resources have been exhausted in an attempt to seek justice,” said Panyako.
Panyako said some of their colleagues had returned to their respective rural homes after life became difficult in town.
He said the case they filed at an industrial court was moving back and forth.
“We were unlawfully terminated and sent packing without pay,” said Panyako.
Panyako said they are demanding full payments of their services, gratuity and accrued benefits according to their collective bargaining agreement signed between them and Devki.
He said the 800 former employees were demanding Sh179 million in total.
Panyako said some of them worked for over 20 years in the company as casuals against the law.
“We want all the CBA benefits, why were we not employed by the contracted outsourcing company and unlawfully dismissed,” said Panyako.