Employees of Standard Media Group, especially those working in radio stations, have opted to go on strike over unpaid salaries, forcing radio stations to play music without presenters.
Journalists at Radio Maisha had previously threatened to go on strike on July 3rd if they were not paid. The whole radio department of Standard Media was to join them.
” The matter of unpaid regular salary and mounting arrears as you are aware of is one of urgency. As a department, we need to have this matter addressed,” the journalists stated.
Standard Media Group employees from Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Berur FM and Vybez Radio go on strike over unpaid wages from June 2023, leaving stations to play music without presenters They walked out of their workstations on Thursday morning and convened at the company cafeteria… pic.twitter.com/tyvjfKAXkc
— Prime Media News 😍😍 (@primemediakenya) July 4, 2024
In June, the employees gave a 14-day notice of strike in response to over seven months’ worth of unpaid wages.
As a last resort, the Kenyan Union of Journalists served Standard Group, the company behind KTN Home, KTN News, BTV, KTN Farmers, Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Vybes Radio, and Standard Newspaper, with a notice to arrange a payment plan to settle the outstanding balance.
“Failure to which we shall force total shutdown of operations of Standard Group PLC in the next 14 days. In this regard, we have issued a 14-day strike notice to the Cabinet Secretary for Labour on our intention to stage work boycott.”
The Union has previously brought up concerns over the payment of the arrears, according to KUJ Secretary General Erick Oduor.
“For seven months now, staff at the Standard Group PLC, have gone through untold sufferings due to unpaid salaries despite hard economic times in the country,” says Oduor.
The union is also worried about the company’s Sacco, which has been struggling due to issues brought up with the Sacco Societies regulating Authority (SASRA), the regulator.
According to them, their employees are on the point of losing their savings.
According to their Secretary General Erick, the Kenya Union of Journalists holds the owners and board of directors entirely accountable for the state of affairs at the listed business.
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