The possible effects of the recession are not new to Kenyans.  We have had several recessions in this country.  In the 1990s, liberalization coupled with bad governance and corruption crippled agricultural and manufacturing sectors that had been in recession since 1986.  As a result, Kenyans experienced reduced access to basic social services due to decreased government revenue allocations, rising levels of unemployment especially among women, development of precarious forms of livelihoods in the informal and formal sectors, de-industrialization, reduction of workers' earnings and loss of state revenues.  And to bail out the investors, the government relaxed control and regulation.  Most notable was the amendments in the Finance Act No.

Recently, Chiquita Brand International and its executives agreed to a plea deal with the US Department of Justice after coming forward to admit that it had funded organization accused of killing trade union leaders. Chiquita was able to escape any serious criminal liability by agreeing to pay a $25 million fine. 

Many workers who produce for Dole are paid poverty-level wages, exposed to hazardous chemicals and obligated to work overtime hours without proper compensation. Dole also has been pushing workers out of full-time employment, which carries with it some measure of financial security, and into irregular contract work.

The Labor Education Foundation (LEF) was established in 1993 with a vision of “empowering the working class to protect its social, economic and political rights.” It also works to promote democratic norms, peaceful relations between Pakistan and India, and literacy among youth and trade union members. It helps to establish and finance new trade unions, and to nationalize current unions. There are 8,000 registered unions, but only three have nationwide representation. The majority are factory based, localized, and divided. The LEF works to unify the scattered unions and nationalize their collective voice.