Cane workers’ union threatens industrial action over job losses

Union calling for settlement of all pending salaries and benefits by October....The Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation and allied workers says that all the recently leased sugar mills must absorb all five thousand workers, failure two which they will face industrial action. The announcement comes a week after the Muhoroni and Sony sugar companies issued redundancy notices to employees, to terminate their contracts by end of October. The union says that the government must also pay all pending salaries and accrued benefits by end of October in order to facilitate the transition process. The government had in May issued a 30 year lease for Sony, Chemelil, Nzoia, Miwani and Muhoroni sugar factories. The four factories have a total of 5000 workers who were to be paid by government for a six month period during the transition process which expires on 31st October.