A flower firm has been put on a spot after it sacked over 1,200 employees and started employing new workers on low wages.
The flower firm is accused of taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to fire workers a move that is said to be going against the labor laws.
According to the Kenya Plantations and Agricultural Workers Union, the flower farm has illegally fired its workers without following the stipulated criteria of consulting other involved stakeholders.
“Everyone understands that the pandemic has caused a crisis in this sector but the management should not use this to illegally sack 1,200 workers,” said KPAWU branch secretary Ferdinand Juma.
“The employer claims that the market is poor but proceeds to hire workers and this will lead to enmity and crime in this area,” he added.
Some of the fired employees had worked for the farm for more than 20 years. Others were already on unpaid leaves when they received the notice.
However, the workers said the employer had complained about poor business conditions attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic but went ahead to hire new workers on low wages.
“We were called for a meeting only to be told that our services were no longer needed and yet the employer has not provided us with our life savings and dues,” lamented when of the employees who sought anonymity.
The employees called for the intervention of the Government and COTU Chairman Francis Atwoli.
“We are facing double tragedy due to loss of jobs and the pandemic, and we are asking for the government to come to our rescue in terms of the food supply.”
“We understand that Covid-19 has created an economic crisis but employers should not use this to sack workers on flimsy grounds.”
The management of the flower farm declined to talk to the media when they were contacted.