Kisumu — The government has been called upon to come to the aid of over 180 foreign workers in the communication sector in the country following a court battle over their pay.

The Communication Workers Union (COWU) Secretary General Benson Okwaro says the foreign workers in the call centers are stranded in the country without pay, some unable to pay their rents.

Okwaro, who is also the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) deputy Secretary General said the affected workers, who work in the companies of Facebook, Tik Tok, Google, Whatsapp, ChatGPT amongst others have gone without pay for months.

"The companies have been changing employers more often, and the majority of their employees are foreigners, they fire as and when they want," he said.

He noted that the companies who are outsourcing for the employees rendered them redundant without pay, promoting the affected workers to move to court and despite a court injunction, the employer has declined to adhere to the ruling.

Okwaro is now appealing to the Ministry of Labour to follow up the matter, which the court had ruled that they be paid three months' salary as the matter progresses.

He says the Ministry should intervene and have the employers who failed to adhere to the court ruling arrested.

"The employers must be shown that the laws of this country must be respected," he said.

Okwaro says the employees come from countries that have good diplomatic relations with Kenya.

Addressing a press conference in Kisumu at Tom Mboya Labour College, Okwaro says it is ridiculous when the country complains of harassment of its workers in Saudi Arabia when foreigners in the country undergo similar treatment without quick redress.

"We have been complaining seriously when our citizens are suffering in other countries, why then could we take seriously the plight of foreign workers," he said.

Okwaro noted that the affected workers have joined their Union with a view of getting justice and told the government to move with speed and address the matter.