Women in leadership
Greetings to you all, my story is about the issues we face when trying to be involved in a trade union, being passionate about it. Put yourself in my shoes, as I try my best as a young person in a trade union that is dominated by men to find a niche and understand the dynamics ahead of me.
Female empowerment is important in a male-dominated field. Never shy away from seeking social justice and serve others with dignity and humility.
Surround yourself with people who have the expertise and knowledge as a young trade unionist for the task that is ahead of us.
At the beginning of 2022, I was enrolled in a mentorship programme by COTU which really broadened my inner self of who I wanted to be, and I realised that I should never be afraid to stand for and demand social justice which has made me have a different approach to women in leadership.
I hope one day I’ll be able to follow in the footsteps of my predecessors and perform my task diligently, transparently, and without fear.
My name is Bernice Kendi from the Railway and Allied Workers’ union in Kenya. I am in rail transport, and I work as a passenger service assistant onboard the train. We commute daily, depending on shifts, from Mombasa to Nairobi. My line of work is more female dominated, but women are shy to join the union and seek social justice which triggered me to join the union 6 years ago. I started as a shop steward and now am the Branch Secretary, Nairobi Branch.
As I was still learning and new to being a trade unionist, when they asked questions I couldn’t always answer them directly. I had to seek guidance, and that is how I decided to request to be a part of the Joint Council team during CBA negotiations, so that I could at least gain knowledge and know what was happening between the employer and employees.
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