News online
Truckers meet to plan fight back against corruption and overwork
26 June 2006
A workshop has been held to tackle rampant problems experienced by truck drivers in the 6,700 km Northern Transit Corridor that links Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sponsored by the ITF and the American Centre for Labour Solidarity (ACILS) the event took place in Nairobi from 12 to 15 June.
The participants, from truckers’ trade unions and associations - supported by ITF, ACILS and USAID facilitators - examined core labour standards in the corridor, corruption and the spread of HIV/Aids.
The truckers found that high unemployment; lack of awareness of core standards; traffic laws and regulations; and poor organisation are making truckers victims of rampant discrimination. This especially takes the forms of a tribe-based hiring system, the informal hiring of truckers' children instead of turnmen, and a non-observance of driving hours that is tantamount to forced labour. The truckers also condemned mistreatment by police and customs officials. They pleaded for technological support to be able to access higher education - as other citizens are more easily able to do through evening classes.
To confront these problems the unions signed a memorandum of understanding to work together, and set up a working group to plan joint materials and strategies and ensure cross-border support. They also resolved to involve other unions and institutions - including The Transit Transport Coordination Authority (TTCA), The East African Community (EAC), USAID, and The ROADS project - in co-ordinated efforts.
Back to current news online stories
|
