Del Monte Kenya Limited’s Manging Director Stergios Gkaliamoutsas has today assured union member employees that no jobs will be lost due to the current outsourcing of temporary workers.
This assurance come a day after some Union employees at Del Monte Kenya Limited went on strike.
The workers raised concerns that Kenya’s largest producer and exporter of pineapple products and fruit beverages had sub-contracted a certain agriculture activity without communication. They feared this move would render some of them jobless.
In a media statement, Gkaliamoutsas termed the unrest as ‘an illegal strike without notice.’
The MD also clarified the company’s move to temporarily outsource for additional manpower.
“Upon receiving the complaints, the Del Monte Kenya Limited (DMKL) management immediately held a meeting with the employees’ elected shop stewards from the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) and clarified to them, that the contract in question, which is due to commence on 10th January 2022, will not affect any union member employees and no jobs will be lost due to this intended outsourcing.”
According to the company, the 2022 labour requirements have increased compared to 2021 and as such Del Monte was forced to temporarily outsource for additional manpower through the contract, to cover the additional work.
“As per the current state of affairs, we forecast that all current permanent and additional contract workers will be fully occupied throughout the year.”
Del Monte Kenya Ltd is currently in consultation with the National Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) representatives and shop stewards to address their concerns promptly and fairly.
