1.17.2007

Update from Tailors and Textile Workers Union - Kenya

Another EPZ factory abandons workers without pay

Barely nine months after more than 1,200 workers were violently locked out from Rising Sun, a company in the EPZ, another 1,800 workers from MRC in the same zone have been rendered jobless. Both companies were producing for international buyers including GV (Gloria Vanderbildt).

After breaking for December holidays with half salary and no overtime payment, the workers got a rude shock when they came back ready to work in order to accomplish the resolution of the year 2007 only to get a memo informing that the company will open on 15th January instead of 4th January. Even before the former was reached another memo was posted redirecting the workers to report on 22/01/07/

The workers feel cheated because they were to be paid the remaining amount on 15th January. With landlords and school fees on their neck, the burden is weighing them down and they are appealing to the government to help them regain their job back or be paid redundancy as per the law of the land.

On the other hand the Tailors and Textile Workers Union (TTWU) is working around the clock to make sure that justice prevails for the workers with a series of meetings between EPZ Authority and manufacturers. As for the workers, they have only to wait and hope for the best.

1 comment:

peacefulchica said...

After having a video conference with the workers, many of us students were touched. Thus we organized a protest in Washington DC outside of the Nine West store. It was quite a powerful protest that went on for about an hour, we even touched a couple of Jones Aparrel regulars, who vowed not to shop there again. We also gave the management letters from the workers themselves, hopefully their messages will be heard loud and clear.

In Solidarity
-Graciela Lopez