§ 24. Mr. Prenticeasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the recent decision of the arbitrator in the dispute between the Railway African Union and the East African Railways and Harbour Administration over the union's claim for wage increase of 15 per cent. and 10 per cent. for two groups of workers.
§ Mr. ProfumoThe claim for a 15 per cent. increase was made on behalf of employees in Group C and for a 10 per cent. increase on behalf of employees in Group B. The arbitrator's award was that:—
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- (1) subject to, and conditional upon, the Railway African Unions in the three territories and the employees concerned ageeing to a reduction in the period of annual leave granted to Group C employees from thirty days to twenty days for employees in receipt of pay in excess of Sh. 156.50 a month, and from twenty-two days to fourteen days for other Group C employees, they should be granted an increase in Day at the rate of 5 per cent. on their present wages;
- (2) no increase in pay to Group B employees was justified;
- (3) the increase in pay to Group C employees should come into effect on the first day of the month in which the Unions and the employees accepted the condition to which such increase was subject.
Additionally in the case of Tanganyika the arbitrator found that as from 1st July, 1958, the minimum wage paid to Group C employees in that territory should not be less than the minimum wage paid to similar employees in Kenya.