The New Employment Policy

The new employment policy was aimed at further enhancing industrial relations. It was adopted from the provisions of the ILO Convention Article 14 (1962).

The provisions of the convention was aimed at ensuring that there will be abolished all forms of discrimination among workers on grounds of race, colour, sex, belief and tribal associations. Such an anti-discriminatory campaign was to be applied in almost all spheres of the working environment.

Firstly, it had to apply in labour legislation and agreements which aim to afford equitable economic treatment to all those lawfully resident or working in the country. Secondly, there would be no discrimination as appertains to admission to public or private employment and also in the conditions of engagement and to promotion.

Opportunities for vacational training and conditions of work including health, safety and welfare measures were also not to be subjected to any discrimination as regards to any worker.

Matters of discipline, participation in the negotiation of collective agreements and matters pertaining to wage rates which were to be fixed according to the principles of equal pay for work of equal value, had also to be ridden of any discriminatory tendencies.

The new employment policy provided also that the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) and the then Kenya Federation of Labour (KFL) later COTU had to join hands in discouraging all strikes and lock-outs, until all the machinery laid down for peaceful negotiations had been exhausted.