Unions to exploit poll fever in bid to push for better remuneration for workers

This year’s Labour Day couldn’t have been marked at a better time for the Kenyan worker with just 98 day to the General Election.

And for trade unions in the country, the plan is to take advantage of the campaign fever and push the government to accede to some binding decisions on the welfare of workers.

“While Labour Day is a routine kind of event, this year’s celebration will be of a different kind because it is coinciding with the General Election,” said Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Assistant Secretary-General Ernest Nadome.

“Even as we appeal to Kenyans to uphold peace during and after the elections, we will be coming up strongly to take on the government on the many promises they have made to the workers like creating 500,000 jobs annually, wage increment, working conditions and other challenges that continue to affect us, the workers,” he added.

Days after the Labour Day celebrations, Mr Nadome said Cotu would meet at the Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu “to advise our members on the way forward after having looked at the manifestoes of the political parties and coalitions.”

STRUCTURED ENGAGEMENT

“In the past that has not been the case because we haven’t had a structured engagement with the political players but this time things will be different,” said Mr Nadome.

The theme for this year’s Labour Day is “World Day for Safety and Health at Work”.

It is in pursuit of Target 8.8 of the Sustainable Development Goal 8 which focuses on the “protection of labour rights and promotion of safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.”

It is expected that Monday’s celebrations at Uhuru Park will be graced by both President Uhuru Kenyatta and National Super Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga, among other dignitaries.

WORKERS' WELFARE

“On this Labour Day, our main agenda will be to have the government take a strong stand on the welfare of the workers,” said Tom Odege, the chairman of the Trade Union Congress of Kenya (TUC-Ke), an umbrella body for unions representing teachers, civil servants, lecturers and other workers.

According to Mr Odege, whatever the politicians say on Monday while soliciting for votes should be backed by actions.

The absence of the binding effect is what has consigned many workers to poverty, with the lowest government worker today still earning Sh8,900 a month, he adds.

In the CBA that the civil servants are negotiating with the government, Mr Odege said, the union wants the minimum wage raised to Sh15,000 a month.

And one of such actions TUC-Ke is demanding to be taken is to finalise the negotiations on the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with civil servants.