[2018] KEELRC 2528 (KLR)

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR RELATIONS COURT OF

KENYA AT NAIROBI

CAUSE NUMBER 1936 OF 2015

MARTIN WAMAE WANGU. .....................................................................1ST CLAIMANT

FRANCIS ANZEZE ....................................................................................2ND CLAIMANT

RATIFU OMWANGE .................................................................................3RD CLAIMANT

ALBERT LUKOYE....................................................................................4TH CLAIMANT

WILBERFORCE .........................................................................................5TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH ONDIEKI .....................................................................................6TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH MAINGI ......................................................................................7TH CLAIMANT

VINCENT MOMANYI. ..............................................................................8TH CLAIMANT

MICAH MAINGI ........................................................................................9TH CLAIMANT

ERICK NYARIKI.......................................................................................10TH CLAIMANT

ANTONY KITHANDA..............................................................................11TH CLAIMANT

JAMIN OVAMBA......................................................................................12TH CLAIMANT

JACKSON ...................................................................................................13TH CLAIMANT

JOAB NDEGE..............................................................................................14TH CLAIMANT

GEOFREY MOMANYI..............................................................................15TH CLAIMANT

KENNEDY OWINO....................................................................................16TH CLAIMANT

PETER MUTUA..........................................................................................17TH CLAIMANT

DANIEL KYULI .......................................................................................18TH CLAIMANT

GEORGE MUTUNDA...............................................................................19TH CLAIMANT

FREDRICK JUMA ...................................................................................20TH CLAIMANT

JAMES MBUGUA ......................................................................................21ST CLAIMANT

DANIEL KIREKI........................................................................................22ND CLAIMANT

DICKSON MACHISU ...............................................................................23RD CLAIMANT

FRANCIS MBINDU ....................................................................................24TH CLAIMANT

HAMPHREY CHONELWA ......................................................................25TH CLAIMANT

SHADRACK MWANGI.............................................................................26TH CLAIMANT

STEPHENE NDOLO..................................................................................27TH CLAIMANT

BENSON MATHEKA.................................................................................28TH CLAIMANT

DOUGLAS OMIMI.....................................................................................29TH CLAIMANT

BENSFORD KIMANI................................................................................30TH CLAIMANT

VICTOR ABUOR ......................................................................................31ST CLAIMANT

COSMOS MBITHI ...................................................................................32ND CLAIMANT

DENNIS MANENO ..................................................................................33RD CLAIMANT

JAMES NYAKUNDI .................................................................................34TH CLAIMANT

SAMUEL YAA ..........................................................................................35TH CLAIMANT

JOHN NDUNGU .......................................................................................36TH CLAIMANT

SYLVANUS MOGERE.............................................................................37TH CLAIMANT

KENNEDY BARONGO ..........................................................................38TH CLAIMANT

GABRIEL SIMASI................................................................................... 39TH CLAIMANT

ALFRED OBONYO .................................................................................40TH CLAIMANT

PETER MBUVI .......................................................................................41ST CLAIMANT

GEORGE NGUGI ...................................................................................42ND CLAIMANT

ROBERT KIVAA ....................................................................................43RD CLAIMANT

JULIUS MOSE..........................................................................................44TH CLAIMANT

JAMES WACIRA .................................................................................. 45TH CLAIMANT

PETER MUNYAKA ...............................................................................46TH CLAIMANT

PATRICK NDIRANGU.............................................................................47TH CLAIMANT

ANTONY KAMAU....................................................................................48TH CLAIMANT

JAMES MWANGI....................................................................................49TH CLAIMANT

REUBEN MACHUKI...............................................................................50TH CLAIMANT

BONIFACE MUASYA..............................................................................51ST CLAIMANT

JOHN WANJALA ....................................................................................52ND CLAIMANT

JAMES MWOSYA ..................................................................................53RD CLAIMANT

JUSTUS ISAIAH .....................................................................................54TH CLAIMANT

DUNCAN OYARE.....................................................................................55TH CLAIMANT

KINYOSI NDEGE.....................................................................................56TH CLAIMANT

SIMON NZAMBU ...................................................................................57TH CLAIMANT

RAHAB WANJERI ................................................................................58TH CLAIMANT

JOHN GITHINJI..................................................................................... 59TH CLAIMANT

LAWRENCE MUSAKALE ...................................................................60TH CLAIMANT

PETER MWANZIA..................................................................................61ST CLAIMANT

DANIEL MUTISYA ................................................................................62ND CLAIMANT

NICHOLAS ORWA..................................................................................63RD CLAIMANT

EDWARD MASITSA ...............................................................................64TH CLAIMANT

GEOFFREY MACHOKA..........................................................................65TH CLAIMANT

DENNIS MOFFAT....................................................................................66TH CLAIMANT

ALEX KAMONDE.....................................................................................67TH CLAIMANT

JOHN MBILA.............................................................................................68TH CLAIMANT

RODGERS MULEMA..............................................................................69TH CLAIMANT

FRANCIS MBUVI .....................................................................................70TH CLAIMANT

IRERI KARIUKI .......................................................................................71ST CLAIMANT

DOUGLAS NYABOGA..............................................................................72ND CLAIMANT

NELSON NYONGESA ..............................................................................73RD CLAIMANT

PAUL KATWEI ........................................................................................74TH CLAIMANT

MICHAEL EGADWA ..............................................................................75TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH OGUTU......................................................................................76TH CLAIMANT

MUTISYA NYAMAI ...............................................................................77TH CLAIMANT

MULI MUTINDA..................................................................................78TH CLAIMANT

PETER RUTEERE................................................................................79TH CLAIMANT

JOSHUA ODINGA ...............................................................................80TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH NGANGA .............................................................................81ST CLAIMANT

JOHN KIARI .........................................................................................82ND CLAIMANT

JEREMIAH OKUMU...........................................................................83RD CLAIMANT

JOHN OKOTH.......................................................................................84TH CLAIMANT

DANIEL NAMAGWA ...........................................................................85TH CLAIMANT

GRACE MWENDE ...............................................................................86TH CLAIMANT

MARY NDUNGU...................................................................................87TH CLAIMANT

STANLEY MBURU................................................................................88TH CLAIMANT

HASSAN AUSI .......................................................................................89TH CLAIMANT

PETER KAMANDE................................................................................90TH CLAIMANT

BENARD MAUMO.................................................................................91ST CLAIMANT

HENRY NGANGA..................................................................................92ND CLAIMANT

STEPHEN MUGAMBI............................................................................93RD CLAIMANT

JOHN KIMANI........................................................................................94TH CLAIMANT

JAMES NGUMBI....................................................................................95TH CLAIMANT

STEPHEN KIAMA..................................................................................96TH CLAIMANT

JOHN KAMAU........................................................................................97TH CLAIMANT

THOMAS OMAMO.................................................................................98TH CLAIMANT

AMOS MATHEKA..................................................................................99TH CLAIMANT

RUTH NJERI .........................................................................................100TH CLAIMANT

PETER MUTUKU...................................................................................101ST CLAIMANT

EPHANTUS MWANGI..........................................................................102ND CLAIMANT

MICHAEL MUTUKU...........................................................................103RD CLAIMANT

PETER KIMEU......................................................................................104TH CLAIMANT

PETER MIHIU........................................................................................105TH CLAIMANT

JARED GETEMBE.................................................................................106TH CLAIMANT

HEZRON NDEGE .................................................................................107TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH GITHUA .................................................................................108TH CLAIMANT

STEPHEN NDERI .................................................................................109TH CLAIMANT

EDWARD MUCHENI............................................................................110TH CLAIMANT

BENJAMIN MUIA.................................................................................111TH CLAIMANT

MUSILI MUTISO..................................................................................112TH CLAIMANT

CHARLES KARANJA..........................................................................113TH CLAIMANT

ALPHAYO TIFO..................................................................................114TH CLAIMANT

BONFACE MBILA...............................................................................115TH CLAIMANT

WILLIAM OKOTH..............................................................................116TH CLAIMANT

FIDELIS MULI.....................................................................................117TH CLAIMANT

JOHN NGANGA...................................................................................118TH CLAIMANT

MOSES KABIRU..................................................................................119TH CLAIMANT

BENSON MUGUSU..............................................................................120TH CLAIMANT

JAMES WEKESA ................................................................................121ST CLAIMANT

NICHOLAS WAMBUA........................................................................122ND CLAIMANT

JOSHUA MUSYOKA..........................................................................123RD CLAIMANT

MUSEMBI KAMULA.........................................................................124TH CLAIMANT

KEVIN NYARIKI.................................................................................125TH CLAIMANT

JOHN ODEGA......................................................................................126TH CLAIMANT

DOUGLAS MECHA.............................................................................127TH CLAIMANT

GIBSON MWANGI.............................................................................128TH CLAIMANT

SOLOMON MWANGI........................................................................129TH CLAIMANT

CHARLSE NGURU............................................................................130TH CLAIMANT

FRANCIS KIILU..............................................................................131ST CLAIMANT

MICHAEL NGURU...........................................................................132ND CLAIMANT

PATRICK KITHUKA........................................................................133RD CLAIMANT

SAMUEL KARIUKI..........................................................................134TH CLAIMANT

PATRICK NZULA.............................................................................135TH CLAIMANT

DAVAS MOMANYI...........................................................................136TH CLAIMANT

EDWIN MURIITHI...........................................................................137TH CLAIMANT

FRANCIS OMBURA.........................................................................138TH CLAIMANT

GEOFREY SIMIYU..........................................................................139TH CLAIMANT

WALACE MULI.................................................................................140TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH KIOKO...............................................................................141ST CLAIMANT

BENARD G.WANJIRU....................................................................142ND CLAIMANT

DANIEL GACHOKA.......................................................................143RD CLAIMANT

ZACHEUS NYAKWEBA................................................................144TH CLAIMANT

KAYO INGATIA............................................................................145TH CLAIMANT

FREDRICK ODUOR.......................................................................146TH CLAIMANT

ROBINSON MAINA.......................................................................147TH CLAIMANT

SIMON MUTUNGA.......................................................................148TH CLAIMANT

ROBERT MOSETI..........................................................................149TH CLAIMANT

HEBERT KOMENI.........................................................................150TH CLAIMANT

DANIEL MUTUA ..........................................................................151ST CLAIMANT

FRANCIS KILONZO.....................................................................152ND CLAIMANT

ABINAH NDEGE...........................................................................153RD CLAIMANT

RUSSEL KIBET..............................................................................154TH CLAIMANT

GEORGE ANYANZWA.................................................................155TH CLAIMANT

JOHN WAWERU.............................................................................156TH CLAIMANT

STEPHEN IRUNGU.......................................................................157TH CLAIMANT

COSMAS MOSE..............................................................................158TH CLAIMANT

RAPHAEL OCHIENG...................................................................159TH CLAIMANT

ERIC K OGOT...............................................................................160TH CLAIMANT

MAURICE OLANG......................................................................161ST CLAIMANT

ERICK NDEMO............................................................................162ND CLAIMANT

VINCENT KIOKO........................................................................163RD CLAIMANT

STEPHEN LUVEMBE.................................................................164TH CLAIMANT

ELKANA GWARO........................................................................165TH CLAIMANT

BENSON KYALO.........................................................................166TH CLAIMANT

JOHN KINUTHIA........................................................................167TH CLAIMANT

DAVID MWAKIO ........................................................................168TH CLAIMANT

KENNEDY ODHIAMBO.............................................................169TH CLAIMANT

NDOO MWINZI...........................................................................170TH CLAIMANT

FRANCIS W. WAWERU............................................................171ST CLAIMANT

KENNEDY KASOLO..................................................................172ND CLAIMANT

VINCENT MABIRIA.................................................................173RD CLAIMANT

WILSON WAMBUA....................................................................174TH CLAIMANT

JAMES OBIERO...........................................................................175TH CLAIMANT

MUIMI KYEVA............................................................................176TH CLAIMANT

DOMINIC MATIVO. ..................................................................177TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPHAT NJENGA..................................................................178TH CLAIMANT

MICHAEL THUKU.....................................................................179TH CLAIMANT

FRANCIS NJUGUNA................................................................180TH CLAIMANT

CHARLES ODUOR.....................................................................181ST CLAIMANT

FREDRICK KURIA....................................................................182ND CLAIMANT

ERICK MUGAMBI.....................................................................183RD CLAIMANT

SAMUEL KARANJA.................................................................184TH CLAIMANT

NATHAN GIKUNDI...................................................................185TH CLAIMANT

JOHN MUTINDA.......................................................................186TH CLAIMANT

BENARD WAWERU.................................................................187TH CLAIMANT

EVANS WACIRA.....................................................................188TH CLAIMANT

CASPAH KUTEYI....................................................................189TH CLAIMANT

JOHNSTONE ODANGA...........................................................190TH CLAIMANT

STEPHEN OMONDI................................................................191ST CLAIMANT

POLO WASHINGTON.............................................................192ND CLAIMANT

GEOFFREY KAMAU...............................................................193RD CLAIMANT

STEPHEN ODEKA...................................................................194TH CLAIMANT

DANIEL MOCHAMA..............................................................195TH CLAIMANT

EVANS TROON.........................................................................196TH CLAIMANT

OLIVER MUTSOTSO. .............................................................197TH CLAIMANT

JACK ATOLI..............................................................................198TH CLAIMANT

SAMUEL MWAURA..................................................................199TH CLAIMANT

CHARLES TSUMA....................................................................200TH CLAIMANT

CALEB ORARO.........................................................................201ST CLAIMANT

ALLAN OMONDI.......................................................................202ND CLAIMANT

PHILIP KURIA............................................................................203RD CLAIMANT

NICK KUKUBO..........................................................................204TH CLAIMANT

ONESMUS MUTUKU.................................................................205TH CLAIMANT

DAVID NYAMAI.........................................................................206TH CLAIMANT

JULIUS MOKAYA. .....................................................................207TH CLAIMANT

MUTINDA MUTHOKA..............................................................208TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH MWANGI.....................................................................209TH CLAIMANT

STANLEY NGATIA...................................................................210TH CLAIMANT

KYALO........................................................................................211TH CLAIMANT

KIZITO WITABA.......................................................................212TH CLAIMANT

STEPHEN MASILA.......................................................................213TH CLAIMANT

PETER MULEI...............................................................................214TH CLAIMANT

CHARLES MOGENDI...................................................................215TH CLAIMANT

BENARD MWENZE.......................................................................216TH CLAIMANT

ANTONY MAINA..........................................................................217TH CLAIMANT

FRANCIS KARANJA....................................................................218TH CLAIMANT

CHARLES KYALO......................................................................219TH CLAIMANT

FRANCIS KIMANI........................................................................220TH CLAIMANT

KITHOME ANNAH........................................................................221ST CLAIMANT

PETER MAKABILA.......................................................................222ND CLAIMANT

FRANCIS KISINGU.......................................................................223RD CLAIMANT

STEPHEN KIMULI........................................................................224TH CLAIMANT

ROBERT MUNGAI. ........................................................................225TH CLAIMANT

RAPHAEL WAMBUA......................................................................226TH CLAIMANT

BENARD KILONZO........................................................................227TH CLAIMANT

PATRICK MOTURI.........................................................................228TH CLAIMANT

NICKOLAS AMAYUKU..................................................................229TH CLAIMANT

PETER MUNGUTI............................................................................230TH CLAIMANT

JOSHUA OMARE.............................................................................231ST CLAIMANT

ALPHOSE MUTUKU.......................................................................232ND CLAIMANT

JOSEPH CHEGE...............................................................................233RD CLAIMANT

MARTAIN RIUNGU..........................................................................234TH CLAIMANT

BONFACE MUINDUNKO...................................................................235TH CLAIMANT

STANLEY KIAMA .............................................................................236TH CLAIMANT

PETER WANYOIKE..........................................................................237TH CLAIMANT

JULIUS OUMA....................................................................................238TH CLAIMANT

JOHN M. MUTUA................................................................................239TH CLAIMANT

STEPHEN MOSOMI.............................................................................240TH CLAIMANT

MICHAEL OOKO.................................................................................241ST CLAIMANT

JOHN WANJIKU...................................................................................242ND CLAIMANT

TIMOTHY ORONGE............................................................................243RD CLAIMANT

JAMES MWANGI... ..........................................................................244TH CLAIMANT

DAUD VILU............................................................................................245TH CLAIMANT

JAMES NYAWADE..............................................................................246TH CLAIMANT

JAMES ONYANGO...............................................................................247TH CLAIMANT

PATRICK MUTUNGE..........................................................................248TH CLAIMANT

SHADRACK MAINGI..........................................................................249TH CLAIMANT

MALUKI KAVUO. ..............................................................................250TH CLAIMANT

TIMOTHY OSALE..............................................................................251ST CLAIMANT

PAUL MWANGI....................................................................................252ND CLAIMANT

MUOKI NDAMBUKI...........................................................................253RD CLAIMANT

LEONARD ABUKI...............................................................................254TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH MAANGI................................................................................255TH CLAIMANT

PETER IRUNGU...................................................................................256TH CLAIMANT

JULIUS IBWAKA.................................................................................257TH CLAIMANT

GEORGE OKATCH...........................................................................258TH CLAIMANT

VINCENT MUGUSU...........................................................................259TH CLAIMANT

MICHAEL OWINO............................................................................260TH CLAIMANT

KAVIVU MWAKAVI. .......................................................................261ST CLAIMANT

BENARD MATHEKA. ......................................................................262ND CLAIMANT

SAMSON MUKALA..........................................................................263RD CLAIMANT

SAMUEL KIVAYA............................................................................264TH CLAIMANT

MICHAEL MBINDU..........................................................................265TH CLAIMANT

DAVID MUINDI..............................................................................266TH CLAIMANT

NICOLAS SAMBA.........................................................................267TH CLAIMANT

EVANS NYACHAE.......................................................................268TH CLAIMANT

BENSON NJUGUNA.......................................................................269TH CLAIMANT

NAFTAL K. MASINDE.................................................................270TH CLAIMANT

PATRICK JOSECK..........................................................................271ST CLAIMANT

JAVEL WAMBUA............................................................................272ND CLAIMANT

KENNETH NGUGI..........................................................................273RD CLAIMANT

FIDELIS OUKO...............................................................................274TH CLAIMANT

MWENDWA MUTUNGA.................................................................275TH CLAIMANT

PAUL NGIGE....................................................................................276TH CLAIMANT

WILLIS WATA.................................................................................277TH CLAIMANT

BONFACE MUTUA......................................................................278TH CLAIMANT

BENARD KIYONDI.......................................................................279TH CLAIMANT

MESHACK MUOKI.......................................................................280TH CLAIMANT

FRANCIS MWENDIA...................................................................281ST CLAIMANT

PETER SAMBA.............................................................................282ND CLAIMANT

JAMES NJOROGE........................................................................283RD CLAIMANT

JACTON GUMBA...........................................................................284TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH MWANGANGI.................................................................285TH CLAIMANT

JOYCE KIHONGE..........................................................................286TH CLAIMANT

ANDREW NJOROGE......................................................................287TH CLAIMANT

CLEOPAS ODONGO......................................................................288TH CLAIMANT

GEORGE NGANGA.......................................................................289TH CLAIMANT

VINCENT MOMANYI....................................................................290TH CLAIMANT

BONIFACE ODHIAMBO................................................................291ST CLAIMANT

JOSEPH KULUMBA.......................................................................292ND CLAIMANT

DANIEL KIOKO.............................................................................293RD CLAIMANT

ROBERT KIREKI...........................................................................294TH CLAIMANT

JOSEPH MWANGU........................................................................295TH CLAIMANT

GEORGE WAWERU.......................................................................296TH CLAIMANT

VERSUS

BIDCO AFRICA LTD.......................................................................RESPONDENT

JUDGEMENT

1. The parties in this matter agreed to proceed by way of written submissions upon direction by the court. As at 26th June, 2017 the respondent had not filed their submissions however the court directed that the same could be filed by the respondent despite the fact that the court had retired to consider the judgement. The claimants herein were initially employed by the respondent as casuals for various durations of time.

2. The dispute arose when the respondent did not recognize the claimants as permanent employees despite working for long periods. The dispute was further compounded when the respondent asked the claimants to sign new contracts without taking into account the claimants had previously served. The claimants protested this and went on strike. The dispute was resolved and return to work formula negotiated through Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The claimants contended that, despite the agreement reached the respondent still demanded that the claimants sign new contracts which they refused leading to what the claimant’s claim was a lockout by the respondents.

3. The claimants further complained that they were underpaid by the respondent and never received any termination notice or termination letters. The respondent however contended that it did not lock out the claimants but that the claimants left work on their own volition. The respondent further averred that the claimants were casuals and were working on a shift system where they would work two day shifts, then two night shifts followed by two days off. The respondent further averred that based on the claimant’s work schedule and the nature of their engagement with the respondent they were for all intents and purposes, casual employees.

4. On the issue of new written contracts, the respondent stated that the decision was made to remodel the structure of the organization to end casual employee policy and instead make all employees permanent by offering each and every one of the casual employees a contract but which was rejected by the claimants. The respondent further stated that pursuant to the claimants’ demands, it ended its casual worker policy and therefore anyone who had not formally applied for a job and who had not signed a contract with the respondent did not have a right of entry to respondent’s premises.

5. It was common ground that the claimants and the respondent wanted to end the casual employees status. The claimants however were not agreeable to signing new contracts without clarification over their previous years of service. The claimants as ably demonstrated by the respondent were registered with NSSF and their dues regularly remitted to the Fund. Under Section 35(6) of Employment Act and employees registered with NSSF or other pension or provident fund are not entitled to service pay. This claim is therefore unsustainable with regard to the claimants.

6. The respondent contends that the claimants were casual workers hence suggesting they may not have been entitled to make the claims they were making. However, under section 37 of the Employment Act, a casual employee who has worked for an aggregate period of not less than one month shall be deemed to be an employee whose wages are payable monthly and section 35(1) (c) shall apply to the contract of service of such employee. Further, section 37(3) provides that a casual employee whose contract has been converted by virtue of section 37(1) and has worked continuously for two months or more from the date of employment as a casual employee shall be entitled to such terms and conditions of service as he would have been entitled to under the Act had he not initially been employed as a casual employee.

7. The claimant’s complaint is that the respondent locked them out over refusal to sign new contracts. According to them, they felt justified not signing the contracts without clarification over their previous service. The claimants however, do not object and in fact this was the cause of their unrest, that they had been casual workers for too long.

8. The respondent however had taken the stand that any person who did not apply for a job and sign a contract under the new policy would not be allowed into its premises. Considering the number of claimants and the fact that the events herein took place way back in 2015 the court is of the view that the most appropriate order to make would be to declare the claimants employees of the respondent by virtue of section 37(1) and (3) of the Employment Act whose services could only be terminated in accordance with the procedure provided for under the Employment Act for termination of employment contracts.

9. The claimants on their part admit refusal to sign new contracts unless their previous service was clarified. Further, their long remainder as casual workers was the cause of their concern and unrest. The respondent on its part had insisted that they sign new contracts under the new policy of elimination of causal workers in its work force. This policy was in principle with what the claimants wanted.

10. In the circumstances, the court would not make a finding on the issue of unfair termination of service. The court will in the circumstances order that each of the claimants be compensated as follows:

a. One month’s salary in lieu of notice on termination of service.

b. One month’s salary in lieu of leave for each complete year of service from 2009 to 2013 for those in service during this period.

c. Counsel for the parties liase with their respective clients for computation of orders (a) and (b) are return to Court on 11/10/2018 for recording of final orders.

d. Costs of the suit.

11. It is so ordered.

Dated at Nairobi this 13th day of July, 2018

Abuodha Jorum Nelson

Judge

Delivered this 13th day of July, 2018

Abuodha Jorum Nelson

Judge

In the presence of:-

.....................................................for the Claimant and

.....................................................for the Respondent.