Activists call out US firms for violating Kenyan workers rights rights
Eight civil society groups have accused some US-based tech companies and their local partners of gross violations of human and workers’ rights meted on Kenyan youth who work for the firms remotely.
They cited poor pay, discrimination and being barred from forming unions as among the challenges that they have to contend with while seeking to earn the elusive online dollar.
“US companies and their local partners may be undermining local Kenyan labour laws, the country’s justice system and violating international labour standards with unjustifiable impunity, including the right to unionise. We wish to inform you that all these - inhumane working conditions, discrimination, mental health, lack of social safety nets, unequal pay for equal work, as well as contracting malpractices - amount to modern-day slavery,” the organisations said in a joint letter addressed to President William Ruto who is in a five-day state visit in the US.
The groups added: “The ongoing class action suit by Content Moderators against Facebook and Samasource here in Kenya provides but a tip of the iceberg. Siasa Place’s latest report “Taptangelei, Unemployment and Digital Jobs: Youth Perspectives on the Changing Nature of Work.” (April 2024) is a classic example.”
The civil groups based in Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Tana River counties include Leaders for Leaders Champion, Siasa Place, Tribeless Youth, Youth and Success, Badili Tana Initiative, Youth Agenda, Emerging Leaders Foundation-Africa and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).
They called for President Ruto to ensure that the trade-related discussions between Kenya and the US take factor in the plight of online workers so that the emerging job opportunities remain tools of economic freedom to the unemployed youth.
Top on the agenda, the advocacy groups called on President Ruto to ensure that any US-Kenya bilateral agreements commit to non-discrimination of outsourced labourers including in pay across gender, race and nationality.
Strong mechanisms
Additionally, they argued that any US-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) agreements must include strong mechanisms to prevent outlawing of unions by US companies in Kenya.
“STIP and any related agreements must commit to, and adhere to the best principles of the Constitution of Kenya of public participation, rule of law, transparency, accountability and open contracting,” the letter read in part.
They went on to express optimism that trade partnerships between the two countries will not only bring mutual prosperity, but they will also promote decent jobs, that are dignifying and socially just to the people. “Kenya has high levels of educated unemployment and the tech boom has created much-needed new jobs here, particularly for young people who are the majority of digital workers. We need these jobs, but not jobs at any cost. As tech workers, we are proud to play a role in developing and training world-class emerging technologies – and, crucially, making them safe,” they explained.
In the letter, the civil groups narrated the horrifying experience that some of the online jobs subject the Kenyan workers who are in turn paid peanuts.
“US tech giants export their toughest and most dangerous jobs overseas. The work is mentally and emotionally draining. We scrub Facebook, TikTok and Instagram to ensure these important platforms do not become awash with hate speech and incitement to violence. We label images and text to train generative AI tools like OpenAI.
