Atwoli urges water sector unions to unite for stronger bargaining power

COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli. [File, Standard]

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary-general Francis Atwoli has called for the amalgamation of trade unions representing workers in Kenya’s water sector, warning that divisions were weakening employees’ bargaining power.

Atwoli cautioned that the existence of multiple unions was splitting workers’ strength and could expose them to exploitation while undermining efforts to secure better working conditions.

“United we stand, divided we fall, and we would hate to be divided as other social factors of ours always would take advantage, if we are so much divided, to deny us our rights,” Atwoli said.

He spoke while urging workers at Nairobi Water to maintain unity and demonstrate responsibility in their dealings with management, which he commended for supporting trade union activities.

Atwoli called on employees to reciprocate the support by improving their performance and ensuring their respective workplaces benefited from a stable labour-management relationship.

The COTU boss noted that the fragmentation of workers into different unions was particularly concerning in the water sector, where several unions were claiming to represent employees.

“Currently, as things stand, we have about three unions claiming leadership in water management or water institutions in the country,” he noted.

The divisions, he argued, had weakened workers’ collective approach to labour issues and contributed to industrial disharmony.

“We split our approach, we split our strength, and we split our oneness. And in the process, we will keep on causing industrial havoc and industrial disharmony, which does not help us very much,” Atwoli observed.

He appealed to union officials, the Delegates Committee and COTU to support efforts to bring the unions together and establish a stronger organisation capable of representing workers across the water sector.

Atwoli linked workers’ unity to the broader fight against poverty, describing economic hardship as one of the major challenges facing employees.

“An injured one is an injury to all. And the injury that we are always worried of is poverty,” he said.

He urged workers to strengthen cooperation at their workplaces, arguing that a united workforce would be better placed to protect its rights while maintaining productive relations with management.

Atwoli also praised unionist Bruno, whom he described as experienced in modern industrial relations and capable of helping advance unity among workers in the water sector.

The COTU secretary-general maintained that stronger cooperation among unions would give workers a common front in defending their rights and improving their welfare.