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12 December, 2011Amalgamated Union of Kenyan Workers (AUKW) has successfully concluded negotiations with General Motors, signing an agreement with the company on 21st November 2011.
KENYA: AUKW has been organising at General Motors since the company began operating in Kenya in 1976 and the company is fully unionised.
The union has achieved 31% wage increase over two years, a housing allowance, and transport to and from work for workers. AUKW successfully negotiated with General Motors to eliminate contract work. Under the agreement, workers will be come permanent after a 90 day period. Gains were also made in securing food for workers, medical treatment and a pension scheme.
The significance of these negotiations is that it is the first time the union has negotiated a company level agreement with General Motors.
General Motors recently pulled out of the Kenya Association of Vehicle Assemblers, a move that concerned AUKW; the union was worried that this would undermine long established centralised bargaining in the sector.
The reason given by General Motors for the withdrawal was that, as an international company, they had policy that required them to establish higher standards in working conditions than could be achieved through the association, as some of the other companies are unable to make the same offer.
"Initially we thought that the withdrawal of General Motors from the employers association would mean that workers were going to be forced to accept inferior working conditions compared to others in the sector." said Maero Tindi, General
Secretary of AUKW, "This has not been the case, we have enhanced the conditions of work and achieved a lot in a very short time for this workplace."
Tindi acknowledges that the gains made are attributed to the company policy internationally.Kenyan workers are benefitting from worker struggles in the company's operations in other parts of the world.
In recent collective bargaining negotiations with General Motors, United Auto Workers of America (UAW) was able to reach an agreement in September this year which raises the bar for the US auto sector, benefitting tens of thousands of workers. UAW kept the demand for an International Framework Agreement (IFA) and a World Works Council for the US auto makers on the table during the talks.
There is a clear need for an IFA, through which organised labour will be able to ensure acceptable working conditions are maintained at all General Motors plants worldwide.
Earlier this year, workers in Gujurat India went on a two month wildcat strike resulting in a lockout after the company, located in a remote area, abruptly stopped providing meals for workers. Workers added excessive working hours and health concerns to their grievances and lodged a complaint with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).