Citizen TV Issues Fresh Directive on Staff Pay Cut

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File image of Citizen TV studios
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The Royal Media Services (RMS) has announced a downward revision of the prevailing salary reduction by 10% for all employees, effective March 1, 2021.

This is after the media house directed a compulsory salary reduction of between 20 and 30 percent in March 2020, following the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak in Kenya which had serious repercussions on its business.

In a memo signed by Group Managing Editor Wachira Waruru, RMS management acknowledged the employees' commitment and contribution towards the gradual improvement of the company's performance.

Royal Media Services Managing Director Wachira Waruru, after his election as the chairperson of Media Owners Association on April 27, 2018.
Royal Media Services Managing Director Wachira Waruru, after his election as the chairperson of Media Owners Association on April 27, 2018.
Daily Nation

"This means that staff currently on a salary reduction of 20% will go to 10% and the staff on 30% will go to 20%. We will continue to review the situation with a view to reverting to full salary for all staff as soon as possible," reads an excerpt of the statement.

The spread of Coronavirus in the country has had dire effects on businesses, as some were forced to shut down and send employees home while others embarked on pay cuts.

Apart from Royal Media Services (RMS), journalists from Nation Media Group (NMG), Standard Media Group and Mediamax, also underwent salary cuts.

However, in December 2020, NMG reviewed staff salaries upwards following the improved financial performance of the media company.  

NMG Group CEO Stephen Gitama said that staff would get back a portion of what they had lost when their salaries were slashed earlier in the year due to the impact of Covid-19. 

“Staff currently on a salary reduction ranging from 5% to 10%, will now be on full pay. 

“Staff on salary reduction ranging from 15% to 35% will get a reprieve of 10%; for example, those on 15% reduction will go to 5%. This is effective from the December 2020 payroll,” the statement explained.

Other sectors that were affected included; retail sectors, hospitality and tourism industry, public transport, banking and mobile money services as well as the stocks exchange.

Nation Media Group CEO Stephen Gitagama.
Nation Media Group CEO Stephen Gitagama.
Daily Nation