Opticom Security: This company deals with CCTV monitoring, fire and security systems, with a vast clientele that includes top hospitals and companies even government facilities.
Aggrieved staffers at security systems company Opticom Kenya Limited have united to protest alleged unfair treatment by the financially struggling company.
Speaking to us via e-mail, a source within the trusted firm with a vast clientele that includes top hospitals and companies even government facilities gave a detailed account of how working conditions have badly deteriorated to the extent of sending most employees on the brink of depression.
Recently, the demoralized jobholders have been accustomed to delayed and incomplete payments sometimes delivered via mobile money services like M-Pesa.
When questioned, the Opticom Kenya management has been pinning the blame on clients with outstanding bills.
Their excuse is that the funds overdue have left them somewhat incapacitated which has led to difficulties in sorting out their wage bill.
Even controllers who wake up at 4 am and report to work for 8-hour shifts have been forced to put up with these unfair terms that are a total breach of the agreed contract.
In fact, one of the early-morning workers is said to have lost his life after he was mugged by armed goons on his way to the job.
The management reportedly ignored the case.
This toxic environment has been named as the root cause of a recent mass exodus of workers at the company which also led to the resignation of the previous General Manager who could not explain why employees were literally running away from the company.
At the moment, work breaks are not practical at Opticom since the company cannot afford personnel to relieve absent employees by carrying out their functions.
To make matters worse, not long ago, the company forced all its staff members to sign letters accepting refusal of paid service for the years worked.
Anyone that failed to put pen on paper was rudely pushed out.
First I loved your article about employee mistreatment at Toyota Kenya and it’s time employees’ voices are heard.
It is very sad when these so-called bosses live posh lives and drive posh vehicles and still think that we are all equal.
Today I want to talk about a company right here in the heart of Nairobi called Opticom Kenya Limited.
This company deals with CCTV monitoring, fire and security systems, with a vast clientele that includes top hospitals and companies even government facilities.
Story iko hapa ni, the management pays employees how they feel like.
Having in mind people have contracts that pay should be sent to accounts by the 5th of every month.
It got to a point we were been paid na M-Pesa ati advance, like 10k unambiwa ujipange kwanza.
This has happened quite a number of times and is still happening.
Employees are paid from date 18th onwards.
Ata I won’t be shocked if this month they will be paid after the 15th.
Shockingly an e-mail is sent just days to payday that the salary will be delayed for two weeks.
Then the said day hakuna communication munarushwa next week.
Reason ati clients hawajalipa so they can’t pay the employees
Does it mean the employees have to reach out to the company clients to pay so they can get paid?
The most looked down on people are the controllers.
These people wake up at 4 am while most of us are still dreaming to be in the office by 5:30 am and working straight 12-hour shifts every day.
ALafu ukuje kwambia same person mshahara itachelewa?
I understand one of them got mugged sometime back and almost lost his life while going to work early morning.
Lost his phone and cash.
Cijui ama management changad anything for him but am yet to find out.
But I doubt it!
It is very sickening for a company so big to tell their employees ati they are waiting for clients to pay so they can pay them.
What if the clients don’t pay?
Do we expose them also?
Recently the General Manager resigned this is after a series of employees resigned due to such pressure.
In the control room itself, 4 people have resigned in the last 7 months.
No one can apply for leave huko as hakuna ata reliever who works like that?
The HR herself left and a couple of others after they were forced to sign letters saying they won’t be paid SERVICE for the years worked.
Everyone who did not sign the letter was forced to resign and seek work elsewhere.
I myself am one of them.
Everyone who was left behind will not be paid service even how many years you have given your sweat to the company.
Let us stand up for these employees….ukweli isemwe,” our source writes.
