A workers' union failed in a 10-year struggle to prevent the multinational Unilever from using tea pickers.

The High Court ruled on Thursday that the tea company has the right to adopt new technologies in its operations.

The Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) filed a lawsuit in the court in 2010, demanding the immediate prohibition and withdrawal of Unilever Kenya’s tea pickers on the grounds that they threatened the work of thousands of tea pickers.

But in a petition, Unilever argued that the Constitution provides for equality before the law and the right to obtain and own property. It argues that it has the right to modernize its business.

In his ruling, Judge James Makau cited the earlier court of appeals decision in a similar case against Finlays and Sotik Tea Company in KPAWU.

The judge pointed out that employers have the right to "make commercial and commercial judgments about whether they will use technology in their operations, and if their use of technology leads to layoffs, they must follow all prescribed procedures," the appeal court has ruled.

"I believe that according to the Court of Appeal's ruling, the petitioner has the right to use mechanization and technology in its operations. Therefore, the dispute has been effectively concluded and resolved in accordance with the stipulated terms," ​​Judge Macau ruled.

The union warned last month that the use of tea pickers could cause more than 50,000 workers to lose their jobs, and more than 10,000 tea pickers have been fired.

However, the Kenya Tea Growers Association rejected this claim, saying that tea companies are reducing their labor force through attrition.

The tea companies defended the tea pickers, saying this would reduce production costs and enable them to maintain their livelihoods in the highly competitive global tea market.

Read the original article about the country.

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