The Kenya Agricultural Planters Workers Union Secretary Nandi County Branch Eliakim Ochieng has revealed that tea workers have nothing to smile about even as Labour Day is being marked on Monday 1st May, due to the nature of their employers’ attitude of not tackling their welfare issues.
Speaking to journalists in Nandi Hills town, Ochieng cited that the multinational tea companies have continued offering a deaf ear to the tea workers plight which has left many jobless due to introduction of tea plucking machines which have been adopted by many foreign tea companies.
He decried high cases of insecurity among the jobless groups of which majority of them are youths urging the tea companies to abolish use of tea plucking machines and instead replace them with labour by employing more youths.
The Unionists cited that despite Labour Day commemorations, nothing has been done to transform the lives of workers in the tea industry citing brokers to have killed the sector and as a Union they are requesting the multinational tea companies to honor the CBA agreement or else they will take them to court.
Labour Day is the day observed to raise awareness and educate people about the importance and rights of workers, also to protect them from any exploitation.
It is a day observed/marked on every 1st of May annually which is an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers.
