Challenges Facing Trade Unions in Kenya

Over a number of years the kenyan kabour market has been on the rise.This demand of workforce led to the start of trade unions to protect employees' working conditions such as good working environment,good salaries,medical cover and other allowances.

The umbrella of trade unions known us Central Organisation of Trade unions was fromed to represent unions in various capacities has been on the frontline to empower employees to join unions to help them address their employment grievances.

Trade unions are faced by a number of challenges that needs to be addressed to enable them meet their objectives.One of the challenges faced by trade unions is that of resistance from employers,when employers are approached by trade unions they resist fearing that thier managerial activies will be diverted to unions,secondly the employees will feel empowered in that most of the protection will come from the union and not the employer.Another challenge is that of finance,trade unions have to carry out driving exercises to educate and inform the employees of thier rights on why they should join unions and what are the benefits by one being a member.

Old methodology of doing things also contributes to trade unions not achieveing thier goals.In most organisations where employees who have worked for a number of years without change of guard or positions feel that a union is a body that is there to make money from them.This kind of assumptions makes it difficult for unions to convince this employees to join the union.

Lack of support from stakholders,mostly the government.When trade unions come out to execute their roles,they lack support which leads to fall of some the unions.Example like when a certain union has failed to agree with the employers,there las resort is to ask thier members to go to the streets-strike to demand for their rights.Instead the government supporting them to achive thier objectives it rather turns against them.

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