An Investigation Into Some of The Challenges Facing Trade Unions In Kenya: - A Case Study of Bakery, Confectionery, Manufacturing and Allied Workers Union in Nairobi.
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Date
2003Author
Muthamia, Purity Gakii
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
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This study addressed some of the challenges facing the Trade unions in Kenya. The case
study was The Bakery Confectionery and Allied workers Union. Collective Bargaining
has been and continues to be part and parcel of industrial peace and harmony. The history
of Collective Bargaining in Kenya can be traced back to the Labour Movement in the
1900s when the European settlers introduced wage labour. Prominent leaders among
them the late Tom Mboya and Achieng Onieko spearheaded the movement to fight for
workers rights.
Though the broad objective of Collective Bargaining is well-intended, industrial peace
and harmony has been elusive as industrial actions are met with hostility, retrenchment of
workers has also become an everyday practice; workers are paid poorly and work in poor
conditions even though they are unionized. On the contrary, the Union leaders are having
a good time with most of them rising to high political positions.
The study therefore sought to understand some of the challenges facing Trade Unions in
the advent of new management styles, advanced technology, the emergence of the
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) scourge, compounded with
globalization.
A methodology was mapped out to carryout this study. The Bakers, Confectionery,
Manufacturing and Allied Workers Union were purposively sampled. A questionnaire
was used to collect primary data and secondary sources i.e. Journals, Records from the
Industrial Court and relevant Acts were used. Data analysis was done qualitatively. The
findings indicated that the challenges facing Trade Unions included, mismanagement of
the Unions, financial crunches, lack of knowledge in procedures in trade unions, encroachment of the civil society in this area among others.
The study recommends as a way forward that policy and institutional framework to
address the crisis in trade unionism be looked into. Recommendations to the unions
suggested training and change management as a priority; a further study was felt
necessary to enrich the study in future.
Citation
M.A (Labour Management Relations) 2003Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Faculty of Arts, University of Nairobi
Description
Master of Arts Thesis