• Atwoli has been re-elected for the second time running as the President of the Global Industrial Relations Oversight Board (GIRO).
Image: FILE
The Central Organization of Trade Unions Secretary General Francis Atwoli has been re-elected for the second time running as the President of the Global Industrial Relations Oversight Board (GIRO) at the elections held in Geneva, Switzerland.
GIRO is the sole body charged with the mandate of regulating and oversighting all industrial relations matters as well as monitoring and reporting any cases of abuse at the workplace globally and has field offices throughout the world who execute this mandate covertly and with precision.
During the elections, Michael O’brien from the United Kingdom was elected the Chief Executive and Secretary General.
For the next four years, both Atwoli and O’brien will bear the task of steering the body and ensuring all reported and non- reported cases of abuse at the workplace are dealt with promptly and to the satisfaction of the parties involved.
“I urge both employers and governments to respect and adhere to the enormous industrial relations machinery available in their respective countries and in case of disagreements,” Atwoli said in his acceptance speech.
All labour related matters must be referred to the Employment and Labour Relation Courts which have competent Judges to hear and determine Labour disputesCotu Sec. General Francis Atwoli
Atwoli cited the recent developments in the Aviation Industry where trade union officials were treated as criminals and dragged into a non-competent Principal Magistrate’s Court to hear a dispute that the magistrate was not competent to hear.
The delegates who attended the conference were united in their condemnation of these developments and demanded that GIRO takes up the matter immediately with a view to reporting and taking appropriate action against the Kenyan government.
The delegates expressed their support towards the Kenyan government and President Uhuru Kenyatta in the manner he is dealing with corruption in the country.
They called on the President together with the rest of the Law enforcement agencies charged with the responsibilities of dealing with corruption not to renege since massive corruption in any country scares away investors and without such investments, countries cannot spur economic growth that eventually creates employment for young men and women.
The delegates while appreciating the role of the Kenya government in this fight lauded Atwoli for his long quest in the fight against corruption in Kenya.