As part of its commitment to promote occupational health and safety (OHS) standards, the Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers (TUICO) visited two cement production plants, Fortune Cement Company Ltd. in Pwani Region, Tanzania Mainland where over 80 percent of the workers are TUICO members, and the Tanzania Portland Cement Plc (Twiga Cement), owned by the Heidelberg Cement Group.
The union’s OHS team urged the companies to observe health and safety measures prescribed by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO), such as physical distancing, to protect workers from COVID-19. TUICO also said that it conducted COVID-19 awareness sessions to workers who are in the cement plants.
Meanwhile, Fredrick Mng’ong’o, head of TUICO’s education and organising sector said that the the union has laid down several plans, including “work from home” options for the workers of the union. He also added that the union contributed TZS 10 million (USD 4,305) to the government’s national relief fund to assist in buying equipment for frontline workers.
As of 7 May, Tanzania has 480 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 16 deaths.