MOLESTIE SESSUALI SUL LAVORO IN KENYA: ANCORA NESSUNA SOLUZIONE PER LE E I LICENZIATI DELLA ZONA FRANCA DI RUARANKA
ESPULSI PER AVERE RIVENDICATO IL RISPETTO DEI MINIMI SALARIALI E DELLA LIBERTA' DI ASSOCIAZIONE, DENUNCIATO GLI STRAORDINARI FORZATI, LE QUOTE DI PRODUZIONE IRRANGGIUNGIBILI E LE MOLESTIE SESSUALI

Una delegazione della Clean Clothes Campaign si e' incontrata il mese scorso in Kenya con il sindacato dei lavoratori/lavoratrici tessili, la commissione per i diritti umani e i rappresentanti dei lavoratori espulsi dalla zona franca di Ruaranka per avere rivendicato il rispetto dei minimi salariali e della liberta' di associazione, denunciato gli straordinari forzati, le quote di produzione irraggiungibili e le molestie sessuali. La richiesta che ci viene rivolta e' di mantenere la pressione sulle imprese committenti (aziende e catene di distribuzione nordamericane) e su quattro loro fornitori locali (Indigo, Sahara, Kentex, Baraka e Jar) che hanno messo fuori i lavoratori piu' scomodi e rifiutato di trattare con il sindacato. L'autorita' della zona franca e il ministero del lavoro hanno preso le parti dei proprietari delle fabbriche e questo rende la situazione piu' difficile.

Attenzione: alcune delle lettere che seguono sono da inviare per fax o per posta.

COPIATE E INVIATE LA SEGUENTE LETTERA ALLE 4 FABBRICHE DELLA ZONA FRANCA E ALLA FEDERAZIONE DEGLI IMPRENDITORI DEL KENYA (sintesi: vi chiediamo di riconoscere il sindacato dei lavoratori e dare avvio alla contrattazione collettiva. Vi chiediamo di astenervi dai licenziamenti di massa, dall'assunzione di lavoratori precari, dall'imposizione di quote di produzioni irrealistiche e dalle molestie sessuali. Vi chiediamo di garantire la salute e la sicurezza dei lavoratori, e di pagare salari adeguati)

Federation of Kenyan Employers
Chief Executive
P. O. Box 48311,
Nairobi, Kenya
fke@arcc.or.ke
Fax: 00254 - 2 - 721990

Sahara Stitch EPZ
P.O Box 43832
Nairobi, Kenya
Fax: 00254 2 337773

Indigo Garments (EPZ) Limited
P.O. Box 64969
Ruaraka, Nairobi. Kenya
Fax: 00254-2-861915
E-mail gautam@indigo-kenya.com

Baraka -Export Processing Zone
P.O. Box 9959-00100
Nairobi, Kenya

Kentex Apparels
Export Processing Zones LTD
P.O. 64020
Nairobi, Kenya
Fax: 00254-2- 861971
E-mail: kentex@swiftkenya.com

JAR Kenya Ltd.
Michel Mouyard
P.O. Box 78788-00507
Nairobi, Kenya
Fax: 00254-2-532090
E-mail: michel@jarkenya.com

Re : Garment workers being fired at your factory

Dear Sirs,

We are writing to you regarding the massive dismissals occurring at garment factories, including yours, at the Ruaranka Export processing zone.

We ask you to recognize the union in your factory, the Tailors and Textile Workers Union, and engage in collective bargaining with the workers' representatives. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are fundamental rights that should not be denied to Kenyan garment workers. We ask you to refrain from mass dismissal, from employing workers on casual contracts, from demanding impossible targets to be fulfilled in a normal working day. We ask you to implement health and safety measures at your factory, to pay the workers a living wage and put a stop to sexual harassment.

These rights are not only internationally-recognized rights, but are also called for under most of the codes of conduct of the buyers of the companies for whom you are producing. We are contacting sourcing companies to voice our disapproval with working conditions at your facility and the firing of the striking workers.

With best regards,

(nome, cognome, indirizzo, eventuale organizzazione di appartenenza)

COPIATE E INVIATE LA SEGUENTE LETTERA ALLE IMPRESE COMMITTENTI (sintesi: vi chiediamo di garantire che presso i vostri fornitori siano rispettate le liberta' sindacali e che il loro esercizio non sia motivo di licenziamento. Vi chiediamo di illustrarci le misure che state adottando per monitorarne il rispetto)

WAL-MART
H. Lee Scott Jr.
President and CEO
Wal-Mart
Bentonville, AR 72716
United States
Fax: 001-479-273-1917

TARGET Corporation
Robert J. Ulrich
Chairman and CEO
1000 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
United States
Fax: 001-612-696-3731

 

SEARS, Roebuck, and Co.
Alan J. Lacy
Chairman and CEO
3333 Beverly Rd.
Hoffman Estates, IL 60179
United States
Fax: 001-847-286-7829

MATCHPOINT, Inc.
1013 S. San Julian St. #B
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Fax: 001-213-745-5095

JOE BOXER
Windsong Allegiance Apparel Group, LLC
Joseph Swedler, Chairman
1599 Post Road East
Westport, CT 06880-5602
United States
Fax: 001-203-319-3610
e-mail: info@windsongallegiance.com

Re: Garment workers being fired at your suppliers' factories in Kenya

Dear Sirs,

We are writing to you regarding the massive dismissals occurring at your suppliers' factories at the Ruaranka Export processing zone in Kenya where workers went on strike to ask for the factories' management to recognize their trade union, engage in collective bargaining, stop sexual harassment, and make production targets more reasonable.

We call upon you to ensure that the right to organize is exercised in the factories where you source and that factory management does not dismiss the workers either when they try to organize or try to put their grievances to the employers, or for any other arbitrary reason. We ask you to inform us of the steps you are taking to monitor the workplaces in the Kenyan EPZs that you contract with to ensure that workers' rights are respected. Companies have a role to play in this respect and we want to be assured that you will not stop sourcing in these factories but use your influence to ask for improvements at the workplace.

We hope to be soon hearing from you.

With best regards,

(nome, cognome, indirizzo, eventuale organizzazione di appartenenza)

COPIATE E INVIATE LA SEGUENTE LETTERA AL MINISTERO DEL LAVORO INDUSTRIA E COMMERCIO DEL KENYA

Mrs. Deborah Ongewe
Permanent Secretary
Social Security House, Bishop Road
P.O. Box 40326, Nairobi
Kenya

Alex Keter
Permanent Secretary
Teleposta Towers, Kenyatta Avenue
P.O. Box 30027, Nairobi
Kenya

Re: Garment workers being fired at the Ruaranka EPZ

Dear Sirs,

We are writing to you regarding the mass dismissals occurring at the Ruaranka export processing zone in Kenya. We call upon you to put an immediate stop to the arbitrary dismissals. We think that the Ministry of Labour as well as the Ministry of Trade and Industry should not condone nor encourage such behaviour by investors in their country. They should make sure instead that the unions can freely organize in all factories. We ask you to intervene immediately in those factories where the union is prevented from organizing, where workers are being dismissed for trying to organize, or where the freedom to organize is being impeded in any other way. We ask you to take steps to ensure that the workers that were dismissed get the dues that they are entitled to for wrongful dismissal. These workers have been wrongfully dismissed and the employers should pay them accordingly.

With best regards,

(nome, cognome, indirizzo, eventuale organizzazione di appartenenza)

INVIATE COPIA DELLE LETTERE E LE RISPOSTE CHE RICEVERETE A:

William Akech Muga
General Secretary
Tailors and Textile Union
Head Office
Consulate House Chambers
First Floor
Rescourse Rpad
P.S. Box 72076
Nairobi, Kenya

Kenya Human Rights Commission
Gitanga Road
Valley Arcade
Nairobi
Kenya
P.O Box 41079
Tel: (254-722) 264-497; 254-2-576063/4/5/6
Fax: 254-2-574997
E-mail: souma@khrc.or.ke

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