Seminar: Enhancing the narrative resources of the Kenyan Trade Union movement

This paper discusses the problems of effectiveness faced by Kenyan trade unions by looking at the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) as a case study. In a country with high levels of unemployment and weak labour legislation, it is imperative that the labour movement devise ways of remaining relevant and effective given the requirements of a developmental state. The study combines in-depth interviews with a qualitative assessment of newspaper articles on trade unions in Kenya generally and KUSU in particular. This is done by looking at topics addressed, characterizations of unions as well as major actors such as union leaders, workers, and political leaders. The research aims to explore avenues open to labour leaders to revitalize unionism while at the same time remaining tolerable to the government of the day. The research seeks to find ways of enriching the vocabulary of union leaders in such a manner that places their struggles within the general aspirations of the populace so as not to lose their support.