The Chinese contractor involved in the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Naivasha on Monday laid-off close to 1,000 workers.
The Chinese Communications and Construction Company (CCCC) issued the notice after the workers defied orders to go back to work.
In the notice seen by Standard, the company noted that the strike by the workers was illegal claiming that their demands for salaries increase is unconstitutional.
Since Wednesday last week, the workers at the Satellite Site in Mai Mahiu have been camping outside the company’s office demanding an increase in salaries and better means of transport.
[caption caption="SGR workers during their protest."]
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On Saturday, the employees were involved in running battles with anti-riot police officers after they blocked the Mai Mahiu-Narok road leading to a major traffic snarl-up.
“All those employees that are in the ongoing illegal strike and those who failed to resume work on the January 8, the management recognises that they have resigned automatically,” reads the notice.
“Your basic minimum wages is much more than the one under the regulation of wages amendment of 2017,” posed the notice.
This comes as the Kenya Railways Corporation made an offer to all Kenyan students whose schools are located along the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) route.
The parastatal announced that it will provide special booking and seats for students travelling from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa.
According to a statement released by the organisation, tickets will be acquired on the spot and if their parents will be accompanying them, they can as well get a space in the Madaraka Express train.
The students who want to benefit from the offer have to be at the SGR stations in their school uniforms.
[caption caption="People boarding SGR"]
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“The Kenya Railways Corporation will provide special booking desks and seats on the Madaraka Express train to students travelling from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa starting 7 January 2017," read the statement in part.
"The tickets will be issued on the spot and at the normal fare. Parents and students are advised to be at the respective stations only enough before the departure time to allow for easy booking," the statement noted.
