Rose Omamo (Kenya)

Date: 09/09/2024

Rose Omamo (Kenya)

Rose Omamo is a mechanic by trade who worked in an assembly plant for nearly three decades. After experiencing the imbalance in gender representation in her union, which is 90% male, and seeing union negotiations that failed to take women into account, she decided to become more involved. Rose worked her way through the ranks and now serves as the General Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Kenya Metal Workers, the first woman to hold this position. In addition, she was the National Chair of the Central Organization of Trade Unions – Kenya (Kenya’s equivalent of the AFL-CIO) Women’s Committee. Rose is known throughout Kenya as “Mama Union”. In 2019, Rose and helped make history by leading a landmark agreement to organize 5,600 workers in Kenya’s informal sector. This agreement was signed by the between the Metal Workers Union, and informal workers associations representing vendors, cleaners, autobody workers, and mechanics. Rose has been an outspoken leader on the need for gender representation and equality in the labor movement, and was a key worker representative in discussions on a treaty the ILO ratified in 2019 to address gender-based violence at work.