Union for independent commission staff threatens strike over exclusion in Govt pay rise

A looming labour dispute has emerged in Kenya’s public service after the Kenya Independent Commissions Workers Union (KICOWU) accused authorities of sidelining secretariat staff in Constitutional Commissions and Independent Offices (CCIOs) from the latest salary adjustments.

The Union which also represents secretariat staff of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has called on the Government to spread the rewards to staff of independent Commission as they also deserve to be motivated.

In a press statement released on January 8, KICOWU Secretary-General Njeru Kanyamba said the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had approved revised salaries and allowances for many civil servants, effective 1 July 2025, yet employees at CCIOs were excluded.

According to Kanyamba, the adjustments approved for other sectors would cost the national payroll Ksh2.065 billion, but secretariat staff in bodies such as, the National Lands Commission have never received legally binding pay increases since the 2010 Constitution.

“This is discrimination of the highest order,” Kanyamba said, likening the situation to a mother who cooks and serves food yet watches her own children languish in hunger.

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He stressed that secretariat staff, who play a critical role in implementing salary reviews for multiple sectors, are left without proper Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), leaving them vulnerable and underpaid.

KICOWU is demanding that all 19 CCIOs immediately negotiate and sign CBAs to formalise pay structures for their staff.

Failure to act, the union warned, will trigger industrial action, including strikes, across all secretariat staff in the affected commissions.

The union’s warning comes amid heightened labour tensions across the public sector.

County government workers recently issued strike notices, claiming exclusion from the same salary review that benefited national government employees.

They argue that the increases and allowances approved by the SRC should also apply to county staff, warning of potential work stoppages across the country if their grievances are not addressed.

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Labour analysts say these disputes reflect growing frustration over wage stagnation, delayed implementation of salary reviews, and inequality across different public service sectors.

While commissions such as the Teachers Service Commission have successfully negotiated binding CBAs for their employees, secretariat staff in CCIOs remain without formal protections, leaving them reliant on the discretion of their employers.

Kanyamba called on the government and commission heads to act swiftly, warning that inaction could disrupt essential public services.

“Our members are the backbone of constitutional commissions. Their work is critical, yet they continue to be overlooked. Immediate engagement is necessary to prevent a crisis in public service delivery,” he said.

As negotiations loom, unions and worker groups continue to press for reforms that guarantee uniform and timely implementation of salary reviews across all levels of government, ensuring that public servants’ remuneration keeps pace with rising living costs.

By Kithinji Njeru