COTU wants jobs freeze order lifted : The Standard

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) has faulted the State for its freeze on hiring, terming it retrogressive and a wrong signal to the private sector employers. Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli said that instead of fixing the vice of corruption and mismanagement of public resources, the government had taken measures that were detrimental to the economy. “The government should identify other ways of minimising expenditure and not just coming up with policies that are paralysing labour force in Kenya,” Atwoli (pictured), said in a statement to the press. The government recently directed ministries to freeze recruitment of staff in the next three years unless approved by the National Treasury.

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According to Cotu, the directive is “uncalled for in the modern era of governance where employment is to the demands and needs for the industry rather a normality.” Undoing “The government should seek to create more opportunities for employment through innovation and creativity within the public service to absorb what has been termed as ballooning youth bulge. Every year, thousands of youth graduate from training institutions to seek employment, with much hope that the government will consider them,” Atwoli said.

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He said the State directive was not only Draconian but against labour laws. He said it is unconstitutional for the acting CS Treasury, Ukur Yatani, who is also the CS Labour to make such a declaration. “It is one of the greatest undoing for civil servants by a minister who understands the challenges in the labour movement better than any other CS,” said Atwol saidi.  

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COTUCentral Organisation of Trade UnionsFrancis AtwoliJobs