The media has been called upon to put more focus on employees’ issues as a way of helping workers’ identify their rights.

A worker picks tea at a plantation in Githunguri, 30 km (18 miles) from Kenya’s capital Nairobi, January 6, 2012. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

Peter Odima, Eldoret branch secretary for the national private security workers’ union said that many workers especially in the private sector are not versed with their rights hence continue to be exploited by their employers.

Odima said that media has for a long time concentrated on other issue like politics and family relationships leaving behind important information that will empower workers on rights concerning job security.

He expressed concern over most of the programmes aired on radio stations, saying that they do not address issues of workers exploitation thus making them continue suffering from exploitation because they lack knowledge on employment rights.

Odima however said that many of the exploited workers were security guards who were under paid by their firms, some of which were not registered under workers unions as required by labour regulations.

He also revealed that some of the workers were subjected to long working hours without allowances and also denied a chance to register with worker unions which protected them from exploitation.

Odima concluded by urging workers to join employee unions as a way of averting frequent of exploitations from their employers.