COTU-K Department of Industrial Relations

The core functions of all trade unions has been recruitment of members and handling their grievances which is the mantle of the Industrial Relations department.
The operations of this department are guided by the Trade Disputes Act Cap 234, the Industrial Relations Charter, existing labour laws and type International Labour organisation corrections. This department has handled trade disputes of employees and affiliates.
There are four main types of trades disputes that are handled by this department namely:-
- An individual dispute – This is dispute between an individual employee and his/her employer.
- A collective dispute – This involves a group of workers or their representatives and one or more employers. Each and every claimant in this dispute must have the same kind of complaint.
- A rights disputer – This involves the interpretation or application of an existing right as laid down in labour legislation, collective bargaining agreement, an individual labour contract or an existing practice.
- An interests dispute – Involves a claim for future rights and this normally result from a deadlock in collective barging negotiations
The department performs the following functions:-
- Handles workers grievances of both the members of our affiliates and non-members. Most of their kind of disputes emanate from unfair termination of employment.
- Handling on behalf of our affiliates disputes with employers as regards the collective bargaining agreement and its negotiation and implementation.
- Assist affiliates in the preparation of their submission to the Industrial court.
- Liaising with the other social partners namely the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) and the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development on issues related to trade disputes.
- Offering advisory services to our afflicts.