KPA dock workers secure 10% pay increase and medical benefits

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has agreed to a 10% pay increase and better healthcare coverage for more than 7,000 of its unionised employees.

This new deal, set to take effect within three months, follows successful negotiations between KPA management and the Dock Workers Union (DWU).

The agreement includes a significant improvement to the medical scheme, with KPA covering 80% of healthcare costs and workers contributing the remaining 20%.

The new terms are part of the 2024/2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which was concluded earlier this week during a meeting in Malindi.

"We are pleased to announce that the CBA negotiations have been successfully concluded. It will bring significant improvements to the terms of service for all our unionisable employees," said Simon Sang, secretary general of the Dock Workers Union.

The new agreement comes in the wake of KPA workers' strong commitment to improving the performance of the port, especially with the goal of reaching a target of two million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) by 2028.

Sang pointed out that this goal has played a major role in securing better terms for workers.

"We appreciate that in the past two years we have had our bonuses, but this new CBA will enhance our terms of service and motivate our workers to achieve even greater efficiency and productivity," Sang explained.

The two million Teus milestone was a key achievement for the port, a record that President William Ruto celebrated earlier this year.

In February, the President urged KPA management to reward its staff with bonuses for their role in hitting this significant mark.

"The port handled over two million containers, which is a remarkable achievement that reflects the ongoing improvement in efficiency at the Mombasa port," said President Ruto.

Despite the good news, Sang has cautioned against any attempts to drag port workers into political disputes.

He emphasized that the workers are content with the terms and should not be influenced by outside interests.

He also stated that the current KPA management deserves another term, based on its merits and achievements.

"Workers are satisfied, and they should not be dragged back to where we were a decade ago by politicians. The management deserves a second term based on their merit, as outlined in the KPA Act," Sang concluded.