Trade unions in the public service have called for a bigger role during the negotiations of the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), stating that the move will ensure that the interests and concerns of workers are adequately represented in the negotiation process.The demands were made during a consultative meeting on Thursday, August 26, when the Caucus of Public Service Trade Unions met to discuss challenges affecting workers. The caucus brings together representatives of several public service unions, with the meeting also discussing possible ways of strengthening their welfare.Among the key proposals was the need for public service trade unions to be formally included in future CBA negotiations.According to the caucus, their direct participation would ensure that the concerns of public sector workers are properly captured during negotiations on salaries, working conditions and other terms of service. "The caucus further proposed the need to study Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) from other countries in order to identify best practices and strengthen the unions’ position in advocating for better terms and conditions of service," the union said in a statement after the meeting.They also proposed studying Collective Bargaining Agreements from other countries to identify best practices that could help strengthen the unions’ position when negotiating better terms and conditions for workers.In the meeting, concerns over continued delays in the payment of salaries to county government employees were also raised.The unions said the delays have a direct impact on workers and their families, calling for urgent and sustainable measures to address the problem.The demands come hours after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) said it was considering changing how civil servants’ salaries are negotiated as part of the strategies to address the persistent workers’ strikes. Speaking on Thursday, August 27, during the 2026 Katiba Day Symposium in Nairobi, SRC Chairperson Sammy Chepkwony said the proposed changes will particularly target Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), which he identified as one of the gaps contributing to strikes in the public sector.“I want to clarify that all levels and arms of government have been cooperative with SRC during my time in implementing the policy advisories that SRC has been issuing,” Chepkwony stated.According to Chepkwony, SRC is now speeding up efforts to address the gaps following resolutions reached during the National Productivity and Performance Conference held in June this year.
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