Mombasa Port Workers End Strike
Mombasa, Kenya port workers end strike and returned to work on Friday after being warned they could lose their jobs, reports Reuters.
However the members of the Trade Union Congress (TUC-K) said protests over changes to their health care costs could resume next week and aims to push the government to revoke the higher deductions for its national health insurance scheme.
Sylvan Mghanga, an official at the port's communications department, said workers had returned to work fearing they would lose their jobs.
"The management has never made such an announcement before, so it shocked and scared everyone, and that is why they have returned," said Mghanga, referring to a Friday morning deadline for striking workers to resume duty or be fired.
The work stoppage has disrupted business at the biggest in the region, which handles imports such as fuel for Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.
Cargo ships remained unattended as workers gathered and held discussions in groups at the port.
The ships’ daily running costs are estimated at between Sh5 million and Sh10 million. Mr Gichiri Ndua, the KPA managing director, said the authority has lost over Sh100 million in handling fees in the more than 36 hours the workers have been on strike.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) dismissed 28 union officials on Friday, an action that the office bearers claim is meant to intimidate them.
