The workshop focused on a number of different areas as we rounded up the activity of the project:

• Engaging allies

• Trade Union Climate Policy Priorities

• Occupational Safety and Health and Climate Change

• Way Forward

1. Working with allies

   Rebecca Okello, climate lead from COTU-K (Central Organization of Trade Unions Kenya), was invited to speak to the meeting and engage with participants. This was an important intervention, strengthening the relationship between COTU-K and the public sector trade unions, and helping to build the voice of public sector trade unions in the climate change deliberations and interventions of the National Trade Union Centres. She emphasised that labour movements must defend workers, promote social equity and help shape a fair transition. She noted that while trade unions were consulted on Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contribution, they are not seen as central to its implementation. She pointed out the dangers of debt-driven financing, which increases government debt and undermines the ability of government to improve public services, because they are paying so much interest on loans. Worker protection—such as heat stress prevention and safeguards against job displacement—remains weak in national climate plans.

   For labour, the priorities for a just transition include:

   ·       Integration of a climate clauses into Collective Bargaining Agreements

   ·       Reskilling and social protection for affected workers – especially in sectors such as waste, agriculture and fossil fuel usage

   ·       Stronger role for unions in climate financing monitoring and project design

   ·       Investment in public infrastructure and green jobs led by state and counties

   ·       Advocacy for climate-resilient public services: water, waste, education, and health

   ·       Build alliances with environmental justice and community groups

2. Trade Union Climate Policy Priorities

Participants identified key areas where unions must strengthen their policy demands and bargaining strategies:

Collective Bargaining Priorities:

·       Climate clauses allowing flexible working hours during extreme weather

·       Environmentally friendly and climate-appropriate PPE

·       Establishment of climate change committees within unions and/or workplaces

·       Advocacy for workplace climate funds to respond to emergencies

·       Accurate data collection to inform negotiations

·       Proper union representation on public bodies and boards

·       Waste management policies and sustainability practices in workplaces

·       Strengthening collaboration across unions and sectors

Workshop participants identified a number of areas that the PSI National Coordinating Committee (NCC) could continue working on:

·       Continued climate education and awareness raising for members

·       Engaging in practical activities such as tree planting and river clean-ups

·       Ongoing learning from unions in other countries

·       Building stronger partnerships with civil society

·       Demanding transparency and accountability in climate finance

·       Advocating for Just Transition policies

·       Supporting skills development and retraining programmes

3. Occupational Safety and Health and Climate Change

The workshop placed strong emphasis on OHS, highlighting that climate change is already a workplace hazard.

Under the OSH Act of 2007, employers must ensure safe workplaces, provide training, and establish safety committees in workplaces with more than 20 employees. Some unions reported active involvement in these committees, but overall, climate-related health and safety risks remain insufficiently addressed.

Key climate-related OSH risks identified:

·       Extreme heat – risk of heat stress, fatigue, dehydration, increased risk of occupational accidents

·       Solar UV radiation – skin cancers, acute eye damage, weakened immune systems

·       Air quality – increased respiratory problems from wildfire smoke or pollution

·       Extreme weather events– unsafe work conditions, increased injury risks, destruction of records and equipment

·       Vector-borne diseases – expanded range due to warmer temperatures

·       Mental health impacts – trauma from repeated disasters and job insecurity

We then went on to discuss what issues could be taken up as part of the collective bargaining process to better protect our members from the health and safety impacts of climate change.

Some of the ideas that emerged included:

Bargaining priorities for climate-related hazards

During Floods

·       Redeployment of workers to safe stations

·       Non-punitive leave where travel is impossible

·       Full pay maintained despite disruptions

During Extreme Heat

·       Heat stress protocols

·       Adequate hydration points

·       Rest areas and cooling rooms

·       Adjusted working hours

·       Protective clothing

·       Mental health support

·       Regular monitoring of heat conditions

During Increased Fire Risks

·       Training on fire suppression

·       Accessible and effective equipment

·       Clear protocols and defined duties

·       Stronger grievance procedures

During Drought

·       Emergency response plans

·       Clear communication channels

·       Fair compensation and job security

·       Access to clean water for workers and their families

·       Training on drought-related hazards

General OHS Demands

·       Reskilling and upskilling where climate impacts change work conditions

·       Strict adherence to OSH Act standards

·       Mandatory worker participation in safety processes

·       Quality PPE provided consistently

·       Quarterly OHS equipment inspections

·       Compliance with the Work Injury Benefits Act

·       Alignment with sectoral standards and norms

4. Way Forward

The workshop concluded by identifying a number of concrete actions to strengthen the work on climate change:

·       Ongoing collaboration with NGOs, CBOs and CSOs

·       Strong advocacy on climate-resilient public services in mainstream and social media

·       Continued research and data gathering to inform bargaining

·       Learning from trade unions in other countries about what the collective bargaining clauses they are developing and negotiating around

·       Establishing PSI climate change champions

·       Engage government by inviting representatives to future workshops

·       Continuous grassroots education and mobilisation

This final workshop reaffirmed the critical role of public service unions in shaping a just, worker-centred response to the climate crisis. Kenyan workers are already living with the impacts of climate change - strengthening public services and protecting workers are now urgent priorities.