Atwoli re-elected International Labour Organization member

COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli, addresses the press at Solidarity house Gikomba in Nairobi on May 5, 2023. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has been re-elected for a record fourth time as Member of the International Labour Organization, (ILO) governing body.

Atwoli was unanimously elected as the Vice Chairperson of the workers group during the on-going 111th Session giving him an opportunity to serve on the highest decision making organ, in the world, on human and labour rights.

Atwoli welcomed his election and went on twitter to celebrate the new office.

''Iam grateful for being elected by workers globally as the vice chairman of the conference,'' Atwoli tweeted.

Previously, the Cotu mouthpiece has been serving as a titular member of the organization and will now serve alongside Plamen Dimitrov, Bulgaria, Ms Akiko Gono, Japan, Antonio de Lisboa, and Brazil while the Jeroen Beirnaert (ITUC) was elected secretary.

They will serve under Ms Catelene Passchier from the Netherlands who was elected as the chairperson.

Passchier equally serves as the vice chairperson of the ILO governing body workers.

The conference brings together governments, workers and employers from 187 Member States and a number of observers from other international actors to consider a series of topics related to workers.

The annual meeting will see deliberations for the next two weeks with Atwoli leading a delegation of thirty Kenyan workers drawn from trade unions across the country.

He will take part in a session that will have three key areas focusing on just transition towards sustainable and inclusive economies, quality apprenticeships and labour protection under the theme, ''Social Justice for all.''

The Kenyan workers' delegation will participate in the committee discussion of the ILC which will come up with recommendations and conclusions that will, ultimately, improve the rights and welfare of workers globally.