According to reports by Business Daily, Supermarket powerhouse Chandarana Foodplus, is set to have a higher wage bill.
This is a result of the signing of a fresh two year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) whose first phase will see more than a thousand of its unionisable staff receive a pay increase of 8 percent.
The pay deal was signed on Wednesday the 14th Of August 2019, between Chandarana Supermarket Limited, the Federation of Kenya Employers and the Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which was co-signed by the Managing Director of Chandarana Dipan Thakkar reads that, “The Group and the Union meeting together in a free and voluntary association agree and enter into foregoing agreement negotiated between them at the joint negotiating committee.”
The following the two year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Chandarana Foodplus’s estimated workforce of about 1,100 unionisable employees, will then receive a salary boost of nine percent during the second phase which will begin in 2020 from February.
The first phase of the 12th Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which has been backdated to the 28th of February this year (2019), will see the highest paid workers (Category 6) which comprises of cashiers and heavy duty commercial vehicle operators earn 2,462.20 Kenyan Shillings more to bring the take home total to 33,239.65 Kenyan Shillings minimum monthly basic wages exclusive of housing allowances.
The second highest earning employees (crawler tractor drivers and salespersons) will now earn not less than 27,631 Kenyan Shillings which is higher than the previous figure of 25,585 Kenyan Shillings.
With an increase of 1,235 Kenyan Shillings, the lowest earning employees (Category 1) will earn 14,957.96 Kenyan Shillings in basic wages exclusive of the housing allowances.
The Housing allowances which are equivalent of 17 percent of the basic salary however, remain unchanged.
The contribution of the retailer which is family owned, towards the demise of any of its employees, has also been revised upwards by 5,000 Kenyan Shillings to bring it to a total sum of 25,000 Kenyan Shillings.
Chandarana is also expected to provide a coffin, transport and also send at least four employees to represent the company.
The firm will in addition, provide a pair of uniforms to the staff every year and provide one bar soap each every month to help the employees keep them clean.
Employees will receive a two week notice before they are transferred across towns to other branches.
