The Communication Workers Union of Kenya (CoWU) members in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, on Monday joined colleagues nationwide and downed their tools over delayed salaries.
Led by CoWU Eldoret Branch Chairperson John Kiplimo, the union workers expressed frustrations with the employer for allegedly not paying them for seven months and also failing to remit statutory deductions including SHA, and NSSF.
The members complained that lack of salaries has subjected them to unbearable economic hardships since they have been unable to provide for their families or pay bills.
“We call upon the respective institutions to fast track the payment of what is owed to us by the government. The Sh1.5 billion by postal corporation and Sh250 million by IEBC is good money, it can push us, we’ve really suffered and it’s high time the government should intervene,” complained Kiplimo.
Branch Executive secretary James Kiptaalam, raised concern stressing, “For seven months we have not been at peace with our landlords, while at the same time we have nothing to buy food for our children.”
“The management is harassing us with uncalled for transfers, I want to take this opportunity to warn those managers who frustrate our members that we shall go for them, and instead of them transferring our members, we shall demand for their own transfer,” warned Kiptaalam.
Ms Anne Rutto, a national executive member of the union claimed that families have divorced because of the unpaid dues. She added that the Postal workers have failed to take their children to better schools because of the delay in payment.
She recalled various instances where banks have confronted workers to pay their long overdue loan installments, which the employer had already deducted from their salaries but not remitted to respective loaning entities.
“We don’t even see hope in the future life after retirement because the pensions have not been remitted, insurances and loan installments have not been paid,” she exclaimed.
In its strike notice to the management of the Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) dated 23rd September 2025, the Union through its General Secretary, Benson Okwaro, had given the PCK 30 days to address the grievances, which include paying all their outstanding salaries immediately from the month of March 2025 to date and declaring timelines as to when they will remit all outstanding remittances to the Pension Scheme, Banks, Saccos and Insurance Companies amounting to Sh 1,529,525,510.4 as by August 2025.
The union indicated that its members, over the past 5 years, have been subjected to delayed payment of salary for up to 8 months. And as at the time of writing the strike notice letter, the staff had not been paid for 6 months since March, 2025.
“We have tried several times through dialogue where the management has continued to make promises that are not honored. Given the circumstances, we are left with no other option but to seek redress through other means for members who have suffered for a long time…,” read the letter.
The Communication Workers Union of Kenya announced withdrawal of its members from work by Friday October 24, 2025, if the conditions were not fulfilled within the specified time.
“We confirm that unless the above conditions are met within the specified time, we will in accordance with the provisions of the labor laws (Labour Relations Act 2007 Section 76) withdraw our members from work w.e.f 24th October 2025,” declared the General Secretary.
The Communication Workers Union of Kenya is affiliated to the Central Organization of Trade Unions (Kenya) and Union Network International Geneva. The Union and the Postal Corporation of Kenya have a recognition agreement signed on 9th June 2010.
by Ekuwam Sylvester and Mariam Saleh
