The Port Workers’ Union anticipates that President William Ruto will bring about reforms in the labor movement that would put a stop to the ongoing strikes that are conducted to demand better pay and working conditions. Mr. Simon Sang, General Secretary of the Dock Workers Union (DWU), stated on Wednesday that they are confident the new Head of State would put an end to the country’s contentious relationship with unions and businesses. Instead, then depending solely on the Labor Ministry Mr. Sang recommended that the next administration creates a national arbitration body that is independent of the government.
Twelve professionals from the business community, the government, and the labor movement should be on the commission, according to Mr. Sang. “We anticipate the president to put an end to the hostile labor-employer relationship in which employees, such as teachers and physicians, protest in the streets for a salary increase. As in Singapore, we anticipate him to ensure good relations between the union and the employers. 28 officials from the DWU, which represents over 4,000 Kenya Ports Administration (KPA) workers, were fired in 2015 as a result of participating in industrial action. Meanwhile, Mr. Nicholas Mbugua, the general secretary of the Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers and Allied Workers Union, encouraged the incoming administration to develop a policy that would reinstate the turn-boy function for truckers.
After the removal of turn boys, truck drivers now work alone. We are requesting that each truck be driven by a driver and a turn boy, stated the Ruto administration official. President Ruto was also urged by the chairman of the Seafarers Welcome Association, Mr. Haransa Mwanzuki, to encourage the blue economy and increase the number of local seafarers working onboard foreign vessels. “We also aim to hire veterans in the maritime industry based on their expertise. We want seamen working on the ships in the Mombasa port on a daily basis, he remarked.
