Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary general Francis Atwoli has condemned attempts by tea firms to evict employees from their staff quarters for taking part in the ongoing industrial action.
Atwoli today said the workers, under the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU), should stay put despite intimidation by the tea firms associated with the Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA).
He said the threats by the firms contravene Clause 17 of the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between KTGA and the Union. The clause states that nobody should be evicted from his/her staff quarters when there is a dispute, until the dispute has been reported and determined by a relevant court and such a decision reached.
He also said that the strike is protected by a court order and cautioned tea firms against provoking the workers any further. He added that the managements of the tea companies should come back to the negotiating table to deliberate on ways of ending the impasse.
