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Introduction

Kenya Union of Hair and Beauty Workers (KUHABWO) formerly Kenya Union of Hair and Beauty Salon workers (KUHABSWO) is a National Trade Union that represents workers in the Hair and Beauty Industry in the Republic of Kenya. The Union is registered by the Registrar of Trade unions formally in 2010, Registration Certificate Number TU/157.

The Union organizes and recruits, for purposes of collective bargaining and negotiations, the workers in both formal and informal sub-sectors of the Hair and Beauty industry. The overall mandate of the Union is to safeguard socio-economic wellbeing of all workers in Hair and Beauty industry in Kenya. The specific mandates are to:

  1. Organize, recruit and represent formal and informal economy workers engaged in Hair and Beauty industry and the institutions associated with them.
  2. Secure and maintain favourable terms and conditions of employment including occupational safety and health in workplaces; represent and protect interests of workers in the Hair and Beauty industry.
  3. Regulate relations between and amongst Union members.
  4. Provide a platform through which workers in the industry can raise issues/views with employers and/or government authorities.
  5. Promote skills training and capacity building of workers in the industry.
  6. Provide legal advice and any other assistance on any matters affecting the Union.
  7. Partner and collaborate with other trade unions, relevant vocational institutions, and national, regional and global labour market institutions to promote trade union ideals.
  8. Safeguard the economic wellbeing of Union members.

Currently the Union has its presence in four Counties namely Nairobi, Machakos, Kiambu, Laikipia and Nakuru with democratically elected officials from the grassroots to the National level, headed by the General Secretary.

Mission

To safeguard socio-economic wellbeing of all workers in Hair and Beauty industry in Kenya

Vision

Excellence in securing, promoting and protecting the fundamental principles and rights of Hair and Beauty workers

Core Values

  1. Respect for Diversity: All union members, officials, staff, and stakeholders will be treated fairly regardless of their background or perspectives.
  2. Professionalism & Integrity: Professionalism by all union officials and employees is paramount. Union officials and staff will be capacitated to perform their work with expertise, honesty, dedication and care. They will also strive to always do the right thing and adhere to the highest ethical standards.
  3. Transparency & Accountability: KUHABWO will act with openness and predictability.
  4. Social Dialogue & Tripartism: Social dialogue will be embraced at all times in KUHABWO.
  5. Innovation & Continuous Learning: KUHABWO will continuously develop and implement new ideas as it adapts to the various changes in the dynamic environment in which it operates. Lessons learnt in the course of implementation will also be continuously incorporated in its operations.

Priority Areas

The Union has identified four Priority Areas in which implementation will be carried out, performance measured and results communicated or reported. The Priority Areas are:

  1. Membership Organization and Recruitment
  2. Development and Delivery of Appropriate Products and Services
  3. Institutional Capacity Building
  4. Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

Main Objectives

  1. Secure complete organization, recruitment and retention into the Union of all workers in Hair and Beauty industry in Kenya
  2. Encourage workers in both formal and informal sub-sectors of the Hair and Beauty industry in Kenya to form and/or join Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs)
  3. Empower workers in the informal economy of the Hair and Beauty industry in Kenya to form primary level associations
  4. Provide a platform through which workers in the industry can raise issues/views with employers and/or county and national government authorities
  5. Secure and maintain favourable terms and conditions of employment for all workers in Hair and Beauty, and other allied workers in the industry in Kenya
  6. Partner with relevant government agencies and other non-state actors to promote safety and health of all workers in the Hair and Beauty industry in Kenya
  7. Facilitate access to legal advice and representation in protecting the fundamental principles and rights of Union members
  8. Promote skills training and capacity building of workers in the industry
  9. Co-operate with similar organizations on matters of common interest with a view to taking common action whenever necessary or desirable
  10. Partner and collaborate with industry players and research institutions to promote innovation and production of quality and affordable Hair and Beauty products and equipments
  11. Build resilience of workers in the Hair and Beauty industry to mitigate the negative effects of disasters and pandemics
  12. Lobby for design and implementation of favourable labour laws, policies and institutional frameworks, and
  13. Lobby for ratification and domestication of relevant international treaties and conventions

Governance Structure

Kuhabwo Governance Structure

Key Achievements & Milestones

1. Kenya Union of Hair and Beauty Workers is a premier-largely informal sector union in Kenya. Since its formal registration in 2010, KUHABWO has successfully recruited workers and signed Recognition Agreements (RAs) with five employers. The success of the Union also includes being accorded recognition by some of the major manufacturing companies in the Hair and Beauty industry. These are Sana Industries Co. Ltd. (2013), Solpia Kenya Limited (2016) and Black and Beauty Products Ltd. (2019). The Union also negotiated and concluded a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) each with Sana Industries Co. Ltd. and Solpia Kenya Limited in 2013 and 2016, respectively. The CBAs have, however, expired but the Union has experienced difficulties negotiating new CBAs.

2. The Union has also established functional branches in Nairobi, Machakos, Kiambu and Laikipia. Mechanisms to establish a Union branch in Nakuru is in progress. The Union also established the Hair and Beauty Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (SACCO) in June 2015. The SACCO is managed independently of the Union. Membership of the SACCO is open to all workers in the Hair and Beauty industry, KUHABWO officials and staff, and other informal economy workers. The SACCO had about 300 members by 2019 but this declined to about 170 by 2022. The decline in membership was occasioned by loss of employment, income and livelihoods largely attributed to COVID-19 pandemic.

3. The Union has also managed to forge beneficial strategic partnership and collaboration with a number of local and international organizations. These include the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU-K), National Social Security Fund (NSSF), National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the State Department for Cooperatives. Others are IndustriAll Global Union, UNI Global, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Solidarity Centre (SC), Mama Cash Foundation , War on Want and International Federation of Workers Education Association (IFWEA). These partnership and collaboration have facilitated the Union members to benefit from skills training, and empowerment to nurture and develop a savings culture. They have also contributed to increased Union publicity and visibility, strengthened lobbying and advocacy capacities, and extension in social protection coverage particularly for the Hair and Beauty workers in the informal economy.