PRESS CONFERENCE – BILAN 2008/2009

• 2009 : Employment Relations Act and Employment Rights Act – effective as from 2nd February. There have been several attempts to reform the labour legislation by successive government. This has been successfully achieved by this government under the leadership of the Prime Minister Dr. Navin Ramgoolam.
• Ministry ensures transition and implementation of the new labour laws – taking into consideration all the apprehensions expressed in several quarters.
• February to end of November: 1761 persons have opted to join the Workfare Programme and have been paid Rs 50.2 million as Transition Unemployment Benefit.
• Importance of dialogue in 2009: there were no major industrial unrests, or strikes actions. We have been able to resolve many industrial disputes through Mediation and conciliation. Nous fine aidé et intervenir pour deblock banne deadlock et facilite négociations, e.g: Bank of Mauritius, Mauritius Telecom, Air Mauritius, avoiding strike action in the Sugar Industry, etc.
• January to October: as 6500 industrial relations complaints were registered and dealt with at the level of my Ministry. A total amount of over Rs52.6 million was recovered on behalf of workers, of which Rs31 million through mediation and conciliation efforts and a further Rs21.6 million through the Industrial Court.
• Appeal to private enterprises to resolve their own disputes.
• Collective-Bargaining: appeal also goes to Trade Union organizations to make the most of facilities given in the New Legislation with regard to Collective-Bargaining – which according to me should remain the Trade Union most important function.
• Remuneration Orders : (i) the Travel Agent and Tour Operators Remuneration Regulations and (ii) Road Haulage Industry Remuneration Regulations.
• The National Remuneration Board has also already submitted its final recommendations on the 40 hour week during crop season in the Sugar Industry. Government has approved that – the 40 hr week during crop season be extended to the whole of the sugar industry:
(a) overtime during crop and intercrop season be uniformised and calculated by dividing the monthly basic wage by 173.33 (40 hr x 52weeks ÷ 12 months) instead by 208 during crop and 176 during intercrop; and
(b) the hours of work of watchman to be 60 hrs weekly instead of 72 hrs during crop season.

• Workers Education Division November 2008- November 2009: 167 courses/seminars/talks for a total of 4,480 participants including 442 trade union representatives and 72 HR managers

• Decent Work Country Programme: finalized.This document highlights ways and means to make the best possible use of available ILO resources to advance the Decent Work Agenda and thereby improving the working and living conditions of men and women workers in Mauritius.
• National tripartite constituents will be called upon to sign the document once ILO approval has been obtained.
• Occupational Safety and Health: 2,500 inspections at workplaces in 2009.Around 4,700 employees have also been sensitized on Occupational Safety and Health issues in 2009.
• 12 fatal occupational accidents have occurred this year.
Additional measures: (i) more emphasis is placed on inspection in the construction sector; (ii) job contractors are being distributed guideline on construction;

• Necessary actions have been initiated to increase the staff of the Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate;
(i) the OSH (Electricity at Work) Regulations was promulgated on 01st June 2009;
(ii) the Occupational Safety and Health (Lodging Accommodation) Regulations is presently being examined at the level of Advisory Council for Occupational Safety & Health;
(iii) the draft OSH (Noise at Work) Regulations is being finalized with the State Law Office;
(iv) a national profile on OSH for Mauritius was prepared with the assistance of ILO and a National OSH Programme was prepared for further improving Occupational Safety and Health.



FUTURE PROJECTS:
A National Policy on Employment will address:
-participation of all stakeholders (employers, employees, trade unions etc)
-new types of employment
-mobility and security at work
-portable pensions
-mismatch in demand and supply of jobs
An event to gather all stakeholders should take place in February.