KPA dismisses 28 union officials over strike

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) on Friday sacked 28 union officials for participating in a strike protesting the new National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) rates.

The Authority's management further directed heads of departments to take a roll call and identify employees who boycotted work over the past three days in readiness for a recruitment exercise schedule for Saturday.

In press a notice issued on Friday, KPA called on qualified individuals to turn up at Bandari college on Saturday July 5 for “recruitment and immediate placement” to work at the port as terminal tractor drivers, forklift operators and port clerks among other postings.

The union officials were issued with the letters directing them to return all KPA property and vacate KPA's residential houses within 48 hours. Those sacked include shop stewards and members of the executive board.

Citing section K4(c) of the KPA disciplinary Handbook 2015, general manager Human Resource and Administration Salim Chingabwi said:

“It is noted that on 1st and 2nd of July 2015, you participated in an illegal industrial strike which resulted in stoppage of work. You are aware that the services provided by this port are essential to this country’s economy and other economies within East and Central Africa. Your actions therefore amount to economic sabotage.”

“In view of the seriousness of the offence, you are hereby summarily dismissed from the services of the authority with immediate effect.”

This is the first time the authority is sacking employees for participating in a strike and battle lines seemed to have been drawn between management and the 6,000-member strong union which has reacted angrily to KPA's statement.

Dock Workers secretary general Simon Sang said the letters were null and void, adding that their strike was legal.

“There is no way the management can purport to sack our officials. This is a big joke and they have made the gravest mistake ever. We are going to fight this to the bitter end and even if it means going to international courts we will do so,” he said at a press conference at the union headquarters.

“There is no way we will allow KPA to intimidate us. They should know that this also amounts to violation of human rights,” he added.

Mr Sang said they would write to President Uhuru Kenyatta asking him to intervene and have the contentious issue – the new NHIF rates – resolved rather than targeting innocent workers.

“We agreed to partner with the government on the issue and this is why we are not opposed to the 1.5 per cent deduction on the basic and not gross salary. This is the best practice the world over,” he said.

“The NHIF should also be allowed to negotiate independently with the contributors,” he added.

"Ghost workers"

But speaking to Nation on phone yesterday, general manger corporate services Mr Justus Nyarandi said the authority was also determined to weed out ghost workers who he claimed have been inciting workers at the facility, undermining their efforts to improve efficiency.

“When we introduced a biometric system for clocking in and out, some of the workers protested and we thought it is not working properly...We want to instill discipline among our workers and those who are not ready to work should leave. There are many qualified Kenyans out there ready to serve their country,” he said.

“We have put our foot down on this issue and we are not going to negotiate with anyone who does not take their work seriously,” he added.

On Wednesday, managing director Gichiri Ndua said the port had incurred losses amounting to over Sh100 million from the two-day strike.

Mombasa port is the largest in East Africa and serves land locked counties of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and DR Congo, handling one million containers last year or 24 million tonnes. This year, the port is projected to handle 1.3 million containers or over 26 million tonnes.