Organizing informal workers in the urban economy: The case of the construction industry in Dar es Salaam

By Arthur Jason on January 01, 2008

Abstract:
This article introduces a United Nations Volunteers project that aimed to organise informal construction workers‟ and to promote social dialogue between the workers and the government in Dar es Salaam. Those included in the project were mainly construction workers, but also people selling construction materials. They were mainly self-employed, working for individuals building houses. The project brought together 38 groups of workers into negotiations with the government and other stakeholders. The paper does not provide much information on what basis these organisations were formed or what their tasks were. Majority of these groups were mixed trade, but some were specialized in e.g. plumbing, carpentry, aluminium and glass fitting. Discussions with the groups and the government focused on legal recognition and the related financial and social benefits, and access to space. Negotiations with the trade union lead to an agreement that the informal construction workers could establish an umbrella organization that would be able to become a union affiliate.

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