Disgruntled workers from a local manufacturing firm have come out to protest against improper treatment by their employer.
In a message sent to cnyakundi.com, a staff member who requested anonymity explains how management led by Director Mehul Shah has failed to improve working conditions at the Ashut Engineers Limited factory despite numerous complaints from employees.
For instance, our source revealed that personnel from the Plastics Division are often given poorly compensated overtime shifts that run late into the night under tight and strict supervision that prohibits even their movement.
“Bro nakwambia tumenyanyaswa ile mbaya, since 2015 hatujawahi ongezewa salary, tunafungiwa ndani ya kampuni tuki do job usiku, working conditions ni worse,” he painfully narrates.
In a desperate attempt to shut down critics, the management is said to have recently embarked on a staff redundancy programme that specifically targets a group of employees who boldly filed a case against the company at the Nairobi Labour Courts.
The complainants protested meagre pay by Ashut Engineers where hard toiling workers receive as low as Ksh 1,700 for 15 long hours of moulding plastics that are later supplied to big brands like OilLybia Africa, Kapa Oil Refineries, Pwani Oils, among others.
“Tuko na case ya CBA kwa Labour Court lakini huyu mdosi anataka kutupea redundancy. Imagine working for 15 good hours unalipwa Sh1,700 ilhali watu wamekaa tu kwa office wanalipwa mamilioni,” the employee laments.
It is no surprise that as ordinary craftsmen wallow in poverty, top figures from the company’s hierarchy continue to flourish financially.
In fact, the parking lot at Ashut Engineers is now full of high-end luxury vehicles.
Perhaps a testament to the malpractice at the company, the boss, Mr Mehul Shah, is said to have sacked about four Human Resource (HR) managers in the span of a few months.
Their mistake? Siding with the oppressed employees.
Below is the full disheartening account of events as forwarded to our desk.
As of the publishing of this post, Ashut Engineers Ltd was yet to respond to any of our numerous calls for comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, the voiceless employees who have been left abandoned by union groups like the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) headed by State puppet Francis Atwoli, continue to call on relevant government authorities to swing in and save them from this modern-day slavery.
