Kenyan Trade Unions Fight For Freedom
Unlike South Africa and Central Africa, Kenya does not essen- tially operate an industrial color-bar in the sense of reserving jobs for white people. Until the beginning of 1955, however, discrimina- tion existed in the wage structure, whereby European, Asian and African workers with the same qualifications and doing the same job, earned a salary related to their race and not based on their ability. Today this practice is officially condemned, but no assurance can be given that preferential treatment will not be given to Euro- peans or to Asians as future job opportunities develop. Due to these conditions, Kenya's trade unions are predominantly African. European and Asian workers take little interest in trade union organization, and when they do, the unions are separate and maintained on a racial basis. African trade unions have invited European and Asian workers to form joint organizations, so far without success.