The Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) has rejected the government’s latest salary review and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) circular that approved new remuneration and benefits for civil servants. The union says the move is unlawful and has warned it could trigger the first nationwide strike in UKCS’s history.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, July 20, UKCS Secretary General Lawrence Nyaguti said the union received no consultation or involvement before SRC issued the circular on July 17. He said the commission acted outside the law.
Union Says SRC Moved Unilaterally
Nyaguti said SRC moved unilaterally while negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) remain ongoing. He argued that the circular reflects the government’s position rather than a negotiated outcome with the union.
He said salary talks remain incomplete and the CBA has not been signed, calling the approval of new remuneration and benefits premature.
The union has threatened to sue the government and mobilize its members for a nationwide strike if officials fail to address its grievances. UKCS says the circular reflects a unilateral decision rather than the outcome of formal negotiations between SRC and the union.
Nyaguti argued that approving salaries and benefits before concluding and signing a CBA sabotages the collective bargaining process and violates civil servants’ constitutional rights.
New Pay Structure Sparks the Dispute
The confrontation follows SRC’s recent approval of a new salary and allowance structure under the Fourth Remuneration Review Cycle, which schedules pay raises for government employees to begin July 1. Under the new plan, officers across all job grades will receive increments, though the highest-ranking officials will take home the largest basic pay increases.
The new structure sets out distinct pay scales across the civil service hierarchy:
- Top-Tier Executives (Grade E4): Officers will earn a basic monthly salary ranging between Ksh312,000 and Ksh576,000.
- Senior Officers (Grade E3): Officials will receive up to Ksh400,000 in basic monthly pay, plus house allowances of up to Ksh100,000 for those stationed in Nairobi.
- Middle-Level Officers (Grades C1 to C5): Staff will earn basic monthly salaries ranging between Ksh38,000 and Ksh105,000.
- Entry-Level Employees (Grade A3): The lowest-paid workers will receive between Ksh20,600 and Ksh23,700, alongside a house allowance of up to Ksh3,000 depending on duty station.
The union maintains that public servants deserve better pay and improved working conditions to ensure they can maintain a decent standard of living.
UKCS Threatens Legal Action
In a sharp warning, UKCS said it will file a lawsuit to challenge the commission’s decision unless officials withdraw the circular and commit to genuine negotiations.
The union further cautioned that failure to resolve the dispute could trigger the first nationwide civil servants’ strike in its history.
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