|
|
Kenya: Union Rejects 90-Kg Bags
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
The Nation (Nairobi)
28 March 2008
Posted to the web 28 March 2008
Gitonga Marete
Nairobi
A workers' union in Mombasa has asked the Ministry of Trade and Industry to revise the weight of bagged cargo from 90 to 50kg, to conform with international standards.
Kenya Shipping, Clearing and Warehouses Workers Union secretary-general, Robert Abwoga, said it was inhuman to expect a man weighing 60 kilos to carry a 90-kg bag.
Review law
The unionist raised concern that excessive weight would kill manpower in the sector.
"We have been pressing for the change in law but the Government has been dilly-dallying since 2000," he said.
"At one time, a task force was constituted to review the law but the findings were not even made public," he claimed.
Last week, about 4,000 porters working at Container Freight Stations and warehouses in Mombasa went on strike, demanding better pay and working conditions.
The loaders said the 90kg bag was too heavy for physical carriage.
"After carrying the heavy loads for about three years, most workers get deformed, complain of backache and loss of libido," said Mr Samson Olweny, the loaders' representative.
|
Mr Abwoga claimed that some companies tampered with machines to bag more weight than recommended.
He asked the National Cereals and Produce Board to liaise with stakeholders and ensure the changes were effected.
"The ministry should carry out spot checks to ensure weight limits are followed," he added.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 The Nation. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
