Sweden’s SEKO and Kenyan union plan cooperation for next 3 years

On June 30, the Swedish Union for Service and Communications Employee (SEKO) paid a visit to BWI affiliates in Kenya. The visit, led by Chaker Nassar from SEKO's International Unit, evaluated union-to-union projects for the years 2018 through 22 as well as the anticipated outcomes of the new collaboration between the aforementioned trade unions for the years 2023 until 2025.  

The trip culminated with a visit to Mota-Engil, a Portuguese multinational corporation active in Africa's civil construction, public works, port operations, waste, water, and logistics, at work on a road building project in Muranga. The Kenya Union of Building, building, Timber, and Furniture Employees, which includes 700 out of the 900 workers, is the umbrella organisation for the building site's workforce. During the event, Nassar emphasised the importance of workers' rights, workplace health and safety, and climate justice for the industry. He also welcomed the company’s commitment to ensuring gender equity at work by aiming for a 30 percent women workforce from the existing 25 percent. He also praised the union for its robust gender equality policy, which is based on decent work and workplace health and safety.  

The road project is supported by the Stanbic Bank Kenya Limited (a member of the Standard Bank Group) and receives assistance from the World Bank-affiliated Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) Political Risk Insurance, which protects against risks such as unplanned transfers, expropriation, war and civil disturbances, and breach of contract.