Drama unfolded at an Athi River-based textile factory on Thursday morning after members of the Tailors and Textile Workers Union stormed the premises over alleged mistreatment of workers.
The protest saw dozens of employees confront the company’s management, accusing them of subjecting workers to poor working conditions and violating labour rights.
The chaos prompted the intervention of police officers after the private security guards at the facility were overwhelmed by the angry workers.
Union officials and employees demanded an audience with the management, insisting that their grievances had been ignored for months.
A representative from the management told the workers that the company had agreed to involve labour unions in resolving the standoff, despite what employees claimed was a sustained effort to block them from joining or forming unions.
According to the protesting workers, they had endured prolonged working hours, constant warning letters, and unexplained salary deductions.
They also accused some of the foreign supervisors of mistreating them and communicating in languages they could not understand, which they said created a hostile work environment.
“We are here because we are being mistreated and humiliated in a foreign language. We can also not be allowed to form worker unions to enable us to negotiate better employment terms. This is inhumane and unacceptable,” a worker explained during the protest.
Another employee, who appeared visibly distressed, claimed that pregnant women were being unfairly targeted and dismissed without justifiable reasons.
“Expectant women are fired without any reason whatsoever. We are also overworked with constant warning letters and unexplained deductions,” she added.
During the standoff, a section of the foreign management, including one alleged to be a Chinese national, was seen attempting to repel the protesting workers who tried to gain access to the production area.
The confrontation intensified as the employees insisted on being heard, forcing the police to step in to restore order.
Union officials accused the company of exploiting local workers and called on the Ministry of Labour to intervene immediately. They vowed to continue pushing for the recognition of workers’ rights and the registration of a trade union within the firm.
By the time of publishing, the company had not issued an official statement regarding the incident or the allegations raised by its employees.
