Kenyan tea pickers allowed to sue firm in Scotland

A Scottish judge has said he will allow hundreds of Kenyan farm workers to take legal action against one of the world’s biggest tea producers.

The workers are current and former employees of Finlays, a multi-national company which was founded in Scotland in the 18th century.

They claim conditions on Finlays’ tea farms in Kenya damaged their health and are suing for damages in the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

Finlays opposes the action.

The firm argued any claim should be dealt with by the courts in Kenya and the action does not meet the requirements of Scotland’s rules on group litigation proceedings.

These are known as class actions in other jurisdictions.