Atwoli to Battle UK Firms in International Court

alfred kiura

November 30, 2018 10:36 AM

Atwoli prepares to battle UK firms in international court

Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli

COTU will sue multinational tea companies in an international court for violating workers’ rights.

Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli said that for five years the companies refused to execute collective bargaining agreements with more than 300,000 members of Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union.

UK Law Firm

Addressing journalists, the Trade Unionist said that Cotu had signed an agreement with Ozon Solicitors to help with the case in the United Kingdom.

“This international law firm from Manchester will work hand in hand with our lawyers to pursue this issue soon so that our workers can secure their rights, and also for these multinational companies to acknowledge us as a union,” the Vocal Cotu boss stated.

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The aggravated Trade Unionist said the companies operating in Sotik (Bomet County), Kericho and Nandi Hills (Nandi County) have not reviewed their workers' terms of service since 2013.

He further stated that efforts by both Cotu and agricultural unions to fight their case in Kenyan labour relations courts hit a snag following petitions by the companies.

Brutality

“We have won several cases but these companies challenge them in court. They move from the high courts to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, where cases drag as workers continue to suffer,” Atwoli noted.

He told journalists that is why the union opted to take the case abroad.

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“We expect that action will be taken at the earliest opportunity and will be pursued vigorously there,” Atwoli explained.

Last year Cotu accused tea companies in Kericho of using police to forcibly evict the workers from their staff houses for participating in the ongoing strike.

alfred kiura