Several employees of the Postal Corporation of Kenya, commonly known as POSTA, have commenced a strike to protest the alleged long-standing delays in salary payments. The workers from the General Post Office in Mombasa have expressed their frustration, enduring financial uncertainty for five months without resolution.
In their grievances, the employees assert that despite issuing a 21-day notice, the management has taken no steps to address their concerns. Brian Odera, the Communication Workers Union Branch Secretary, cited the primary reason for the strike as the salary delays.
Odera emphasized the severe financial hardships faced by many workers, including the inability to cover basic living expenses, rent payments, and family support due to the delayed salaries. Furthermore, the employees claimed that they have been subjected to constant threats of termination by the management in response to the strike, despite the notice given.
“We have endured five months without pay, making it impossible to support ourselves. Our children have been forced out of school due to unpaid fees, and some of us face eviction from our homes due to accumulating rent arrears,” Odera explained.
Pension issues have also contributed to the strike, with the employees alleging that their pension contributions have not been submitted to pension schemes for nearly five years.
The workers stress that they are not issuing threats but rather pleading for their rightful salaries as employees. Violet Ngare, the Shop Steward for the Mombasa Branch, highlighted the dedication of the employees, who have continued to fulfill their job responsibilities despite the prolonged salary delays.
She pointed out that the stress caused by the financial hardships has even led to the loss of some colleagues. Additionally, some employees have received ‘vacation of office’ letters due to their inability to report to work after being locked out of their residences by landlords.
In a plea to the government, the employees called for an overhaul of the Corporation’s management. Their list of demands includes the immediate payment of all overdue salaries and bonuses, a commitment from the management to ensure timely and consistent payroll processing, financial transparency to reveal the company’s financial health, and reasons behind the salary delays.
As of now, the management has not issued an official statement regarding the ongoing strike.
The Postal Corporation of Kenya, established by the PCK Act 1998, operates as a commercial public enterprise and is mandated to provide accessible, affordable, and reliable postal services throughout Kenya, in accordance with the United Nations Charter of 1948.
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