Atwoli issues demands to James Finlay, Unilever after sexual abuse exposé

KPAWU and COTU boss Francis Atwoli speaks during a February 14, 2023 meeting at State House, Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY
The
Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers’ Union (KPAWU) General Secretary Francis Atwoli has come out breathing fire following allegations of rampant sexual
abuse at tea firms owned by the Kenyan subsidiaries of multinationals James
Finlay and Unilever.
The
allegations were revealed in an explosive BBC documentary dubbed ‘Sex for
Work: The True Cost of Our Tea’ released two days ago, and which has since
elicited angry reactions from Kenyans.
Atwoli,
in a strongly-worded statement released on Wednesday, submitted
a raft of irreducible minimums aimed at the two aforementioned companies in a
bid to protect workers moving forward.
For
starters, he demanded that James Finlay and Unilever immediately ceases outsourcing labour through the use of contractors.
Atwoli, who also doubles up as the Central Organisation of
Trade Unions (COTU) boss, hence wants all employees who are presently on
contract to be offered direct employment by the two corporates.
“Outsourcing of labour
affects the rights and welfare of workers considering
they work at the mercy of contracted companies and not the parent company,” he
stated.
“This documentary has clearly exposed the dangers
of outsourced labour bearing in mind James Finlay’s and Unilever opted to use
the estate managers to outsource labour rather than directly employ these
workers.”
He added: “As such, most of the women working in the tea estates are denied the opportunity
to join a union that would advocate for their rights and represents
their interests."
Secondly, Atwoli demanded that the multinationals
stop being stumbling blocks to their employees in their quest to join unions
which would then enable them to have representation in talks about fair
remuneration and reasonable working conditions.
He further added that James Finlay and Unilever
must not just apologize and issue “procedural crisis communication” on behalf
of their employees implicated in the crimes, but also ensure they go out of
their way to compensate the affected workers for emotional and health damages.
Want to send us a story? SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp 0743570000 or Submit on Citizen Digital or email wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a Comment