Former employees of the Standard Media Group are gearing up for a series of protests starting Wednesday, to demand their long-overdue salaries. They’re planning to formally request a police permit to hold these demonstrations against the media giant.
The ex-employees have raised serious concerns about what they see as consistent industrial misconduct by the company, including unpaid wages and lack of severance pay after being laid off.
The journalists involved have spoken out about how these salary delays are taking a toll on their families, leaving them financially stretched and unable to access essential services. They also claim the company hasn’t been remitting important payroll deductions, such as contributions to Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCOS), pensions, and taxes.
These former staff members have been waiting for their salaries for as long as eight months, despite repeated promises from the company that they would be paid. They revealed that during the recent layoffs, employees were pressured into agreeing to a one-year payment plan that was never fulfilled.
“Despite numerous promises of initial payments by September 30, 2024, no funds have been disbursed, creating further distress for those affected,” one former employee shared. “Our former colleagues and their families are facing unprecedented hardship due to the company’s failure to honor its legal obligations.”
“We demand accountability and immediate action to rectify this gross misconduct,” another journalist added.
The former employees are reaching out for support from the government, labor unions, media industry stakeholders, and the public in their pursuit of justice.
This latest move follows a previous protest in December, where ex-employees demonstrated outside the company’s Mombasa Road premises, demanding immediate payment of their arrears.
