Civil servants have rejected the government's latest salary review, arguing that the adjustment approved by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) is merely the routine annual increment they are already entitled to, and not a negotiated pay rise.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) Secretary General Lawrence Nyaguti said the union was not consulted before SRC issued its July 17 circular approving new remuneration and benefits for civil servants.
Nyaguti said the decision was made unilaterally, contrary to the law, and undermined ongoing negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). He maintained that the circular reflected only the government's position and not an agreement reached between SRC and the union.
The union has given SRC and the Public Service Commission (PSC) 14 days to withdraw the remuneration circular and resume negotiations, warning that failure to do so could trigger a nationwide strike.
“We take issue with SRC and the PS because what has been published and what is purported as salary incrementals are mere annual incrementals that are already guaranteed. And in terms of the law and in terms of the violations in the Labour Relations Act, we are demanding that the letter on benefits and remuneration issued by SRC be withdrawn forthwith, and its implementation be stopped immediately until we finalize our negotiations and sign our CBA,” Nyaguti said.
The union accused SRC of ignoring its proposals, which it said were informed by the rising cost of living and the economic challenges facing civil servants.
“They have refused to listen to us. They have refused to listen to public servants. We are left with no other option but also to simultaneously take legal action. If they can't stop it, we'll stop it in court. If they stop it, we'll withdraw our court case,” Nyaguti said.
The union also warned that it would mobilise members for a nationwide strike if SRC and the PSC fail to respond within the 14-day deadline.
“We have never, for a long time, as civil servant gone on strike. But I'm telling you that this one, we will, if they don't respond within 14 days,” the union said.
Nyaguti emphasised that the union had expected meaningful consultations after the President approved a salary review for civil servants. He argued that SRC's decision violated workers' constitutional rights under Articles 41, 230 and 234 of the Constitution.
According to the union, SRC has continued to rely on Article 230 when making remuneration decisions while disregarding workers' constitutional rights.
Nyaguti said the union formally wrote to SRC after the elections seeking negotiations on the proposed salary review but never received a response. As a result, he said, negotiations remained incomplete, and the CBA had not been concluded.
The union also criticised the proposed salary adjustments and allowances as inadequate given the country's current economic conditions. It called for better pay and improved working conditions to enable civil servants to live dignified lives.
The dispute comes just days after SRC approved a new salary structure and allowances under the Fourth Remuneration Review Cycle, with the changes taking effect from July 1.
Under the new structure, officers across various job grades will receive salary adjustments, with employees in the highest grades receiving the largest increases in basic pay.
Officers in Grade E4 will earn basic monthly salaries ranging from Sh312,000 to Sh576,000, while those in Grade E3 will receive up to Sh400,000, excluding house allowances.
Grade E3 officers stationed in Nairobi will receive house allowances of up to Sh100,000.
Middle-level officers in Grades C1 to C5 will earn basic monthly salaries ranging from Sh38,000 to Sh105,000.
The lowest-paid employees in Grade A3 will receive between Sh20,600 and Sh23,700 per month, in addition to house allowances of up to Sh3,000 depending on their duty station.
UKCS maintained that it neither participated in nor supports the SRC circular issued on July 17, insisting that its implementation should be suspended until a mutually agreed Collective Bargaining Agreement is negotiated and signed.
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