ITF support for victimised drivers in Kenya

http: //www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/6062

09/06/2011

The ITF has come to the assistance of drivers in Kenya who reported being victimised for joining a union.

During an East Africa northern corridor organising initiative on 17-18 May, ITF assistant general secretary Stuart Howard and ITF Africa regional secretary Joseph Katende met with drivers who were dismissed after they joined the ITF-affiliated Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers’ Union. They were recruited during a joint organising initiative supported by the Kenya Dock Workers’ Union and the Kenya Shipping Union, guided by the ITF. The drivers, employed by several companies, were given assurances by the ITF that they would not be left to face their problems alone.

Acting on their behalf, the ITF team later met with the ministry of labour’s acting provincial commissioner Charles Mwinami, who said the ministry was already handling some of the cases that had been reported by the truck drivers’ union. The workers were angry that the ministry was drawing out the process of justice, leaving employers free to continue to dismiss workers. Mwinami promised to investigate and raise the issue with the government; he would also highlight the consequences of truck drivers taking their own action to fight for freedom of association, which he believed was under threat in the Kenyan trucking industry.

Joseph Katende commented: “The workers feel that employers who violate Kenya's constitution should be denied licences to operate transport companies. Kenyan employers do not fear going to court because delays there defeat freedom of association. If the Kenyan government does not respond quickly, the conflict could mean that organised workers could face the sack in other countries in the corridor, potentially paralysing the entire sub-region.”

The East Africa northern corridor initiative, which has been ongoing since January 2011, recruited some 1881 new members across five East African countries, saw three new collective bargaining agreements signed and numerous workplace visits and HIV/AIDS awareness sessions take place.

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