By The Weekly Vision Team
The Union of Kenya Civil Servants has taken legal action to challenge the Salary and Remuneration Commission’s (SRC) decision to freeze salary increments for its members. The Union, filing under a certificate of urgency, claims that SRC issued a circular on July 18, 2024, halting the salary adjustments for all public officers for the 2024–25 fiscal year.
According to the union, this decision has resulted in their members, who are civil servants, not receiving their salaries for July and August 2024. The Union argues that this move violates an existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Union and the government concerning salary increments for its members.
The Union has requested the court to issue a temporary order suspending SRC’s decision pending the outcome of the application. “Our members are primarily low- and middle-level employees, and any salary cut or delay will severely impact their daily survival,” the union contends.
They further argue that there were ongoing salary negotiations intended to be implemented in two phases: the first phase covering July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, and the second phase from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. However, the SRC defends its decision, citing fiscal constraints and budget cuts resulting from the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024. The SRC explains that the bill’s withdrawal placed additional strain on the budget allocation for salary and benefits increases for public servants.
