KENYA UNION OF DOMESTIC, HOTELS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, HOSPITALS AND ALLIED WORKERS v DECEMBER HOTELS LIMITED [2012] KEELRC 182 (KLR)
The bottom line
#A Kenyan labour court ruled the hotel unfairly fired three workers for skipping CBA notice steps, awarding compensation but rejecting unproven claims.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Key legal issues
#Fairness of termination under the Collective Bargaining Agreement
Termination was unfair because copies of termination letters were not given to the shopsteward and branch secretary and the grievants were not given notice or paid in lieu of notice as required by Clause 8 of the CBA
Clause 8(d) of the CBA required written reasons for termination with copies to the shopsteward and branch secretary. Clause 8(a)-(c) required notice or pay in lieu. The respondent neither gave copies of the termination letters to union officials nor gave notice or pay in lieu. The respondent did not appear or respond. The court therefore found the termination of all three grievants unfair.
Entitlement to notice or pay in lieu of notice
Each grievant was entitled to notice or pay in lieu according to years of service: 2 months for Ng'ang'a (6 years), 4 months for Wahinya (7 years per the table; 17 years service noted), 2 months for Mwangangi (7 years)
The court drew a table of years of service against notice entitlement per the CBA and awarded notice pay based on basic salary plus house allowance. The respondent having failed to give notice, payment in lieu was awarded as part of the remedy.
Compensation for loss of employment
8 months salary compensation for Ng'ang'a and Mwangangi and 12 months for Wahinya, the latter being higher due to 17 years of service
The court adopted the investigation report's recommendation of 8 months salary as reasonable compensation for each grievant. It however departed from that recommendation for the 2nd grievant, who had served 17 years, and granted him full compensation of 12 months because of his longer service.
Burden of proving ancillary claims (arrears, leave, travelling allowance, public holidays, bonus)
Claims pleaded only in prayers and not supported by evidence or submissions were held unproved and rejected
The claimant relied entirely on the Memorandum of Claim and submissions. The submissions did not address salary arrears, annual leave, travelling allowance, public holidays or the Christmas bonus. In the absence of any explanation of how these accrued, the court held they were not proved and rejected them.
Legal principles established
#- Termination without written reasons being given to the shopsteward and branch secretary of the union, and without notice or pay in lieu of notice as required by the CBA, is unfair
- Length of service is a relevant factor in assessing compensation for unfair termination; longer service justifies higher compensation
Court orders
#- 1.Obadiah Ng'ang'a awarded 2 months salary in lieu of notice (Kshs.10,100/=) plus 8 months salary as compensation (Kshs.40,400/=), total Kshs.50,500/=
- 2.Gabriel Wahinya awarded 4 months notice pay (Kshs.21,240/=) plus 12 months compensation (Kshs.63,720/=), total Kshs.84,960.00/=
- 3.William Mwangangi awarded notice pay of 2 months (Kshs.9,000) plus 8 months compensation (Kshs.36,000), total Kshs.45,000
- 4.Payments to be made within 45 days from the date of the award failing which the claimant may apply for extraction and execution of the decree
- Jurisdiction invoked
- Referenced dispute of wrongful termination filed as a Memorandum of Claim under the Industrial Court's employment jurisdiction (Cause 775 of 2010); no specific constitutional or statutory provision invoked in the judgment.
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "KENYA UNION OF DOMESTIC, HOTELS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, HOSPITALS AND ALLIED WORKERS v DECEMBER HOTELS LIMITED [2012] KEELRC 182 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2012). Cause 775 of 2010. Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelrc/2012/182/eng@2012-11-12
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.