The Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) has suspended over 60 workers from its Athi River based factory for allegedly participating in a work go slow that had seen the slaughter operation in the factory impaired, reports the Kenya News Agency.
The commission through the Managing Commissioner, James Ole Serian issued an interdiction letter to the workers over gross misconduct.
According to the letters, workers had abandoned their duties for two consecutive days thereby frustrating operations in the factory.
Consequently, this had seen the factory unable to supply customers’ orders.
“Constituently, the commission hereby interdicts you with immediate effect until the matter has been fully investigated and deliberated on by the Human Resource Advisory Committee (HRAC),” the letter reads on.
According to the report, efforts by the workers’ union representative to get them back to work were futile, resembling their decision to negligence and lack of responsibility.
Following the suspension, the protesting workers were seen camping at the factories entrance demanding to be allowed to resume their duties.
However, Ole Serian through a statement with the press said that the number of affected staff is negligible and will not affect the daily company’s operations.
The suspended staff had downed their tools demanding further explanation on their gratuity, pay rise and collective bargaining agreement.
Currently the KMC has a capacity of slaughtering up to 1500 animals.
In the recent years, the factory has been facing rough times associated with its underutilisation of its capacity due to low market and supply.
This has cornered the factory making it difficult to operate above the break-even-point with considerations for privatisation being proposed to see that the oldest beef processor stabilises.
Insufficient demand from the local market has also forced the commission to seek international market with Dubai, China, Djibouti and Egypt being on the draw board.
In a bid to tame its strolling costs, the factory has also strategized on lay-off to its employees.
In 2006, the government’s interventions saw the firm back to business after a prolonged shutdown.
