Over 6,000 employees of Safricom PLC who were told to reapply their jobs can breathe a sigh of relief after Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU)- Kenya, Secretary General Francis Atwoli spoke on their behalf.
In a public statement released on Monday, 26 April, Atwoli cautioned Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa against axing employees of the super telco.
Calling him the most dangerous CEO for reportedly asking a majority of the company’s over 6,000 employees to reapply for their current jobs, Atwoli threatened to appeal to the Board of Directors at Safaricom PLC to have Ndegwa be relieved of duty if he goes ahead and cuts the telcos' labour force.
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“It has come to our attention that Safaricom PLC is on a mission to restructure its mode of management whilst at the same time doing away with some of its employees.
“Even though, as COTU (K), we don’t have control over the management style employers adopt from time to time, we are highly concerned about the prospects of job security with the implementation of certain management styles,” Atwoli said in part of his statement.
While terming the move by the giant telco to reduce its staff size as inhuman and a contravention of international labour laws, Atwoli added that it was insensitive for Ndegwa to bring about drastic changes to the telco while infringing on the rights of employees.
“As reported in one of the local dailies today, the new CEO of Safaricom PLC Mr. Peter Ndegwa has caused a lot of anxiety among its more than 6,000 employees by asking a majority of them to reapply for their current jobs,” Atwoli stated.
The unionist further registered his surprise at Ndegwa’s managerial style noting: “It’s also shocking that even though Mr. Ndegwa is the first Kenyan Safaricom CEO, he remains the most dangerous CEO the company has ever had when it comes to protecting workers’ rights.”
