Private security companies ordered to stop paying union fee over 'neglect' by COTU

The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) has directed private security companies to stop deducting and remitting security officers' fees to the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU-Kenya).

This is as the private security industry regulator probes COTU’s alleged disregard to advocate for the rights of private security officers in Kenya despite their monthly trade union contributions.

“… private security officers constitute a large percentage of COTU's membership and despite their low salaries have faithfully contributed trade union fees to COTU for decades,” reads a Monday letter by the authority’s director-general, Fazul Mahamed.

“Regrettably, notwithstanding their significant financial contributions, COTU has not lived up to its mandate and has persistently disregarded, declined, and/or neglected to advocate for their rights, advocate for compliance with minimum wage and promote their general welfare.”

The regulator said it is probing the collection and use of all money deducted from over 1.3 million private security guards by their employers and remitted to COTU.

“Pending the conclusion of the investigation, all private security companies are hereby directed to effective immediately stop deducting and remitting private security officers' trade union fees to COTU-Kenya,” Mahamed ordered.

“This directive shall remain in force until such a time the authority expressly directs otherwise.”

Any private security company that continues to deduct and remit trade union fees to COTU risks revocation of its licence, PSRA warned.