Cotu, American Federation sign deal to enhance workers' rights

COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli. [Denis Kibuchi, Standard]

Public workers are set to have a voice that will fight for an inclusive economy and create a better life for all.

The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO) and the Central Organisation of Trade Unions – Kenya (Cotu-K) issued a set of principles to protect workers, the public privacy and government’s ability to regulate the sector.

Under the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP),the two will promote and make trade deals that create decent jobs, strengthen workers’ rights and support sustainable development. 

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, any agreement must promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. 

The deal also spells out that unions and non-State actors from both countries should have regular channels of input to inform discussions, including the opportunity to review and comment on negotiating texts at regular intervals.

Formal sector

The two bodies also committed to ensuring increase employment in the formal sector and reduce precarious forms of employment, including the misclassification of workers as independent contractors and the exploitative use of renewable, short-term contracts.

Further, Cotu and AFL CIO promised to create more jobs with good pay and benefits in the energy sector, increase the number and quality of jobs by promoting cotton, textile and apparel production.

The two vowed to ban firms that perpetuate violation of labour rights from accessing the markets, including the trade in goods made with the worst forms of child labour or forced labour.

The unions agreed to provide robust funding for projects to improve the technical capacity and skills, protect food supply through public stockpiling, including how to regulate the importation and use of fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified foods.

The agreements have sought to expand market access but protect small and medium size farmers from a potential flood of subsidised US agribusiness exports and ensure that negotiations promote rather than erode smallholders’ right to seed.

The deal will also ensure the right of both governments to enact consumer protection laws, including country of origin labelling and protect the right of governments to use public procurement to support economic development, improve working conditions, and pursue social and environmental objectives.

It will also allow the governments to fully regulate the digital economy and not undermine domestic efforts to protect the security and privacy of consumers’ personal data or establish appropriate oversight over the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace;  

The deal will also ensure that content moderators and other workers who provide essential services to Big Tech platforms enjoy the right to organise trade unions, have safe working conditions, and appropriate health care benefits.