Workers of a garment company that manufactures lingerie for European and United States markets at the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) in Athi River have downed their tools over new payroll from management.
They are also accusing the company for illegally transferring them and unlawfully sacking some of them.
“The management is thriving on workers intimidation and coercion in disregard of the labour laws. Worker’s rights have been infringed in totality with workers being subjected to long hours of unpaid overtime,” said Nancy Akoth an employee at the firm.
EPZ firm is said to have planned an ownership change and made changes to their contract without workers’ knowledge.
Shadrach Oguto, a Hela Company employee says that he has worked for the company for seven years and now he is being forced to be enrolled in a new payroll under a new company brand.
It is alleged that the targeted workers in the ongoing reforms at the firm were due for service benefits after serving the company for years.
They also allege that the company has been sacking employees who question certain decisions made by the management.
The workers had been fired and asked to reapply afresh for their positions.
