The Standard Group will this week find itself in trouble as the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) prepares to stage a workers strike at Kenya’s oldest media house.
KUJ had two weeks ago given Standard Group days to clear all the salary arrears that it owes its employees failure to which they will put their tools down.
“The Standard Media Group is in dire straits, and we have issued a 14-day ultimatum for them to take action! If they fail to do so, we will organize a protest at their premises as a show of solidarity with our colleagues,” said KUJ.
Journalists and other staff at the media company have been working without a salary for the past six months, surviving on stipends from the employer which is not sustainable.
The two weeks are set to elapse on Wednesday and the company has not yet paid the arrears in full. Staff at the company say nothing has changed.
Additionally it is emerging that the company has also reneged on a pledge it made when it announced Voluntary Early Retirement for staff to exit from the media house.
In an internal memo dated October 5, 2023, Acting Standard Group Chief Executive Officer Joe Munene said: “After careful consideration and in our ongoing efforts to adapt to changing business needs, we are pleased to announce the availability of a Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) package. The VER program offers all our employees a voluntary opportunity for employment and separation with an attractive benefits package.”
Some 37 employees opted to retire early. They were promised that they will receive their severance payments in six installments.
“Payment will be upon clearance. …..And the tabulation is detailed below. Its six instalments; and the first one is on before November 3rd,” the company told those who opted to retire early.
Those who opted out are now begging for their payment. A few days, a child belonging to one of the employees who took early retirement had an accident at home. The ex employee had no money at all to take the child to hospital and had to fundraise.
In a memo issued on 5th October 2023, the media house said it was offering an attractive package for employees willing to take up voluntary early retirement (VER).
“After careful consideration and in our ongoing efforts to adapt to changing business needs, we are pleased to announce the availability of a Voluntary Early Retirement package,” acting CEO, Mr Joe Munene, said. “The VER programme offers our employees a voluntary opportunity for employment separation with an attractive package.”
KUJ’s secretary general Eric Oduor has also threatened industrial action against the Media Max group which has also not been paying its correspondents while maintaining its staff on half pay for the last three years.
