Union signs recognition agreement with Walker Industries in Kenya3 December, 2018Unions are boosting their membership numbers and making the most of the growth of the manufacturing sector in Kenya. This has seen the recruitment of 725 workers at footwear manufacturer, Walker Industries.
International solidarity ends precarious work at Kenya auto plant31 March, 2021For many years, IndustriALL affiliate the Amalgamated Union of Kenya Metal Workers (AUKMW), campaigned against the piece rate system at Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM) which paid workers on an hourly basis. After support from the Volkswagen Works Council, from January 2021 the 42 affected workers have better contracts and are now being paid monthly.
Kenya glass workers win after strike for living wages and safety gear 15 September, 2022After a strike for living wages and personal protective equipment, workers at Future East Africa Cooperation (FEAC) negotiated a collective bargaining agreement to improve wages and health and safety at work.
Trade unions strategize pathways for human rights due diligence in Africa2 November, 2023Sub-Saharan African (SSA) trade unions strategized how human rights due diligence can be a catalyst to achieving their demands for multinational companies to respect fundamental workers’ rights, decent work, living wages, and protection of the environment and community rights. Unions gathered at this conference on 19 and 20 October in Mombasa, Kenya.
Kenya unions support proposals for unemployment insurance fund22 July, 2021IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Kenya, which organize in the textile and garment, engineering and auto manufacturing, oil and gas, and other manufacturing sectors, welcome proposals by the government to set up an unemployment insurance fund for retrenched workers or those who resign on medical grounds.
Unions in Sub-Saharan Africa strengthened by solidarity18 April, 2019Unions in Sub-Saharan Africa face economic recession, deindustrialization, and precarious work coupled by high unemployment and poverty. Human and workers’ rights violations are common, including unfair retrenchments when mines and companies are closed.
Unions in Africa campaign for ratification of ILO C19026 June, 2020African governments and unions played a leading role in the negotiations at the ILO leading up to the adoption of Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work. Now, unions are campaigning for the convention to come into force and several governments are advancing the ratification process.
Sexual harassment blocks young women’s training in Kenya’s automotive industry11 August, 2022At a two-day workshop in Nairobi, 3- 4 August, sexual harassment was identified as impeding young women from pursuing learnerships and skills training in Kenya’s automotive industry. One of the participants narrated how difficult it is for young women to enter the industry as technicians, artisans, or mechanics because of the pervasive sexual harassment.
Union confronts workers’ rights violations at Petro Oil Kenya22 January, 2020Soon after signing membership forms to join a union, 30 workers at Petro Oil Kenya Limited were dismissed while petrol and diesel stations where the union had majority members were outsourced. The Kenya Petroleum Oil Workers Union (KPOWU), affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, says it will fight against the workers’ and human rights violations and for the reinstatement of the workers.
Agreements unite formal and informal metal workers in Kenya30 October, 2019To effectively unite, recruit and organize informal metal workers, the Amalgamated Union of Kenya Metal Workers (AUKMW) and other unions have signed agreements with the Ambira Jua Kali Artisans Association and the Migingo Self Help Group Association.
