The Kenya union of Commercial foods and Allied Workers (KUCFAW) Secretary General Boniface Kavuvi. [ photo / Business Daily. ]
The Kenya union of Commercial Foods and Allied Workers (KUCFAW) have stepped out to oppose the move by the troubled supermarket sector workers to form a splinter union arguing out that it will paralyse the on going case of 4000 laid off workers.
According to KUCFAW's General-secretary Boniface Kavuvi , the union has filed an opposition before the registration of the Kenya Union of Supermarket Workers and also a civil suit before the court demanding Nakumatt supermarket to pay its workers all the unpaid dues and avoid dismissal letters issued to some workers.
“There are people using all mechanisms to block our case from being heard for lack of authority and they are the ones sponsoring the yet to be registered union. We have signed Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) with all the big retail chains on behalf of workers over the years,” said Boniface Kavuvi.
In a gazette notice published Last week Friday , the Registrar of Trade Unions Esther Gicheha had called for comments from public on the proposed registration of the new organisation and that any objection to the formation of new entity be done within 21 days in writing.
“Notice is given pursuant to section 14, 15 and 17 of the Labour Relations Act to all trade unions, federation of trade unions, employers’ organisations or federations, of the receipt of application for the registration of the Kenya Union of Supermarket Workers,” read the part of the letter.
Kavuvi however defended his commission saying the it was not acting alone as it fully represented retail chains workers as they participated in the litigation process together with all other authorities including; supermarket owners and senior government officials.
Mr Kavuvi has also accused the former union’s branch secretary, who was outsted during branch elections, to be behind the formation of the new entity.