Among the targeted unions was the Tobacco and Allied Workers Union of Malawi (ToAWUM), a revamped union, whose members not only received training, but also re-energized after being inactive since 2019 following the exodus of its members from the union, with no representation to advance their rights.
MCTU as the most representative national trade union centre in Malawi with 34 affiliated unions had shown critical concerns in tobacco workers' rights, having in mind the long historical tradition and practices in using tenancy labour and other forms of employment in agriculture that considered inhuman and a violation of the fundamental principles of rights at work.
To address this, in May 2024 MCTU with the help of the ILO ADDRESS project advocated for and placed universal social protection scheme high on the national agenda and for minimum wages to match price increases following the gazetted new minimum wage and for the overall improvement of the working conditions for workers.
This was initiated having learnt that some employers were still underpaying workers and taking advantage of the unawareness of rights, especially in the use of child labour.
Because of this, MCTU with support from the ILO took a more effective and sustainable approach to assisting workers at the lower tier by creating social dialogue committees at the community level, with 16 social dialogue committees established across Kasungu, Mzimba, Lilongwe and Mchinji districts with a cascading impact that was felt at the lowest level of the community.
Through the support of the ILO ADDRESS project, MCTU registered significant improvement on trade union visibility in the tobacco sector, with a continued growth of registered members with ToAWUM, recording a figure of 8,040 members registered.
MCTU witnessed an increased recognition and demand to scale -up recruitment and organization of unions in the sector to support the initiatives of withdrawal of children from Child Labour and social dialogue on workers' rights; high dispute resolution following the setup of a social dialogue committee that provides a platform for the informal economy especially farmers and employers at the lower tier of the tobacco supply chain to discuss and resolve grievances on employment issues.
"We are now able to call employers and even visit them to check the welfare of former tenant workers when there is a problem," said Florence Banda, the chairperson of Kawamba social dialogue committee as she explained further of how they are recognized by community leaders for their work on protecting workers' rights and that there is increased consensus on the need to abolish of tenancy labour and transition to waged labour.
"The passing into law of the abolishment of tenancy labour and the gazetted new minimum wage rates on 1 February 2024, indicating an 80 percent increase, from Mwk1 923.08 ($1.1.3) per day to K3 461.54 ($2.03) further give hope to the poor vulnerable worker for decent work towards ending poverty and inequalities," said Jessie Chingoma, Deputy Director at the MCTU.MCTU has also seen innovative new way of thinking in Local Union members following the creation of a local savings fund that has a value of Mwk2,100,000,00 (about USD 1,230) and growing to bring the union members together and support vulnerable children with school items and uniforms and invest such as in maize garden to grow and sale maize to support children from poor households.The Trade Union Branch in Traditional Authority Kawamba in Kasungu whose chairperson has grown its membership to over 580, with 60 percent being female from less than 100 with the support of the project and members contribute money to support the decent work initiatives.
The labour movement has transformed the lives of children and workers in the area, thereby contributing to the reduction of child labour cases.
MCTU with the financial support from the ILO will continue to implement interventions aimed at strengthening the capacity of trade unions in addressing decent work deficits in Tobacco in Malawi and safeguarding workers' rights, especially those in the rural economy who are vulnerable.
