• 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.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
MINISTER CHAUMIÈRE MEETS BANGLADESHI FOREIGN MINISTER DIPU MONI TO DISCUSS ISSUE OF BANDLADESHI WORKERS IN MAURITIUS.
The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, Honourable Jean-François Chaumière held talks with the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Her Excellency Dipu Moni Nawaz. Minister Nawaz is at the head of a delegation of seven members from different departments of the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including His Excellency A.K.M. Samsuddin, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Mauritius (based in Nairobi, Kenya). The meeting was held today, Monday 21st December 2009 at the headquarters of the MOLIRE in Port Louis, in presence of high officials of the ministry, including the Director of Labour Mr. Jayen Neerunjun.
Minister Chaumière and Minister Nawaz discussed the problem of passports of Bangladeshi workers coming to Mauritius, and the actions taken by the Government of Mauritius to address the issue. Minister Chaumière and Minister Nawaz agreed on the need for closer collaboration between the Passport and Immigration Offices of both countries. Minister Chaumière stressed on his determination to fight unscrupulous recruiting agents, who have been exploiting Bangladeshi workers coming to Mauritius. Minister Nawaz for her part announced that her government is the setting up a government body to handle the recruitment process, therefore eliminating the problem of recruiting agents. Minister Nawaz added that there are “excellent bilateral relations between Mauritius and Bangladesh and we won’t let 130 law-violators spoil these excellent relations.” Minister Chaumière informed H.E Minister Nawaz that the Government has taken decision to allow Male Bangladeshi workers to work in Mauritius until the expiry of their contract. Minister Nawaz that the status quo be preserved and suggested no further recruitment be allowed until the proper mechanism for so doing be installed.
Minister Chaumière and Minister Nawaz both recognized the importance of the economic contribution of Bangladeshi workers to the economies of both countries. Minister Chaumière recalled that expatriate workers in Mauritius have the same rights as local workers, and informed Minister Nawaz of new regulations coming into force in January concerning the accommodation of foreign workers. He spoke of the Ministry’s endeavour for their welfare, as in the Migrant Day event which took place at the Waterpark in Belle Mare on Sunday 20 December. Minister Nawaz expressed the wish to visit the accommodation of expatriate workers, a request to which Minister Chaumière immediately acceded to. Hence Minister Nawaz and her delegation will be visiting expatriate workers at the Compagnie Mauricienne de Textile in La Tour Koenig at 16 h 30 today, ahead of her departure from Mauritius tonight.
At the end of their meeting, Minister Chaumière and Minister Nawaz also discussed the other sources of competency that Mauritius can tap in Bangladesh, namely in the fields of engineering, architecture, agriculture and IT.
SPEECH - IOM MIGRANTS DAY
Today we are celebrating the International Migrants Day as declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 4 December 2000. The 18th December was chosen as on the same date in 1990, the General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.
This day is observed in many countries, by intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as in one way or the other, we are all either migrants or descendents of migrants. Hence, it is important that human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants are disseminated to ensure the protection of migrants taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world.
Migration has several dimensions and the purpose of migration varies with time and circumstances. It can be temporary, circular or permanent and has several implications such as impact on physical and cultural environment, diaspora contribution among others. Unfortunately, issues like ill treatment, human trafficking also affect migration and this is why protection of migrants has become vital today. In Mauritius, though, we are more directly concerned with migration of labour. Mauritius is a good example of a country where both inward and outward labour migration are being implemented in a structured manner. We have presently around 36,000 expatriates working in our territory, particularly in the construction and manufacturing sectors. Indeed, these expatriates are playing, and will continue to play a crucial role in the economic development of our island. We can say that to a certain extent, we have become dependent on them for the survival of enterprises and for safeguarding the jobs of local workers.
Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot deny the fact that the migrant workers in Mauritius, coming mostly from China and India have tremendous skills and capabilities and these skills and capabilities can be seen for example, in the numerous state of the art buildings being erected around the island. Ebène is a very good example. Moreover, where local workers and expatriate workers are called to work together, there is a significant sharing of skills, beneficial to both.
On the other hand, since Mauritius became a member of the IOM in 2006, my Ministry has been facilitating the placement of Mauritian nationals in employment in Canada. As at today, some 271 Mauritians have already left for such jobs. An additional 40 will be leaving by the end of January 2010. The French Government, with which an agreement on labour migration has been signed, will shortly have the agreement ratified so that implementation of the project can start.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mauritius has included labour migration in its development strategy and with the collaboration of the IOM, indeed, Mauritians who are working in Canada have been sending remittances to their families. This is a good sign whereby our people are saving and sending funds to Mauritius which surely will be used either to set up small businesses or for the improvement of their quality of living.
Ladies and gentlemen, in labour migration, both receiving and sending countries benefit, one in terms of skills and the other in terms of remittances. However, in the process, we should not forget the worker himself. The worker, who is often already in a vulnerable situation, should therefore be given all the support and collaboration needed so that he can adapt to the receiving country and work without problems. As you are aware, in Mauritius, migrant workers enjoy the same conditions of work as the local workers and the law treats both migrant and local workers equally. The Special Migrant Workers Unit of my Ministry ensures that the conditions of work of the migrant workers as per their contracts of employment are duly respected and any case of complaints are attended to within the shortest delay possible.
Celebrating the Migrants day today is indeed a way to pay homage to the millions of migrant workers around the world who are engaged in a country of which they are not a national. We have to salute their courage and their will power to better their lives by working away from home, often leaving their families behind, and in some countries, at the whims and caprices of employers.
In order to mark the International Migrants Day, my Ministry, through the EPZ Labour Welfare Fund, has been organising a special activity for guests workers for the past six years. And for this year, precisely on Sunday next, some 1000 expatriates from the manufacturing sector have been invited for a recreational day at Belle Mare Waterpark.
Ladies and gentlemen, as Minister responsible for Labour and employment issues, I have a special thought for the 36000 workers coming from over 70 countries working in Mauritius presently, and also for the Mauritian workers earning their living in different parts of the world.
With these words, I would like to thank the IOM for this event and I thank you all for your attention.
This day is observed in many countries, by intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as in one way or the other, we are all either migrants or descendents of migrants. Hence, it is important that human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants are disseminated to ensure the protection of migrants taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world.
Migration has several dimensions and the purpose of migration varies with time and circumstances. It can be temporary, circular or permanent and has several implications such as impact on physical and cultural environment, diaspora contribution among others. Unfortunately, issues like ill treatment, human trafficking also affect migration and this is why protection of migrants has become vital today. In Mauritius, though, we are more directly concerned with migration of labour. Mauritius is a good example of a country where both inward and outward labour migration are being implemented in a structured manner. We have presently around 36,000 expatriates working in our territory, particularly in the construction and manufacturing sectors. Indeed, these expatriates are playing, and will continue to play a crucial role in the economic development of our island. We can say that to a certain extent, we have become dependent on them for the survival of enterprises and for safeguarding the jobs of local workers.
Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot deny the fact that the migrant workers in Mauritius, coming mostly from China and India have tremendous skills and capabilities and these skills and capabilities can be seen for example, in the numerous state of the art buildings being erected around the island. Ebène is a very good example. Moreover, where local workers and expatriate workers are called to work together, there is a significant sharing of skills, beneficial to both.
On the other hand, since Mauritius became a member of the IOM in 2006, my Ministry has been facilitating the placement of Mauritian nationals in employment in Canada. As at today, some 271 Mauritians have already left for such jobs. An additional 40 will be leaving by the end of January 2010. The French Government, with which an agreement on labour migration has been signed, will shortly have the agreement ratified so that implementation of the project can start.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mauritius has included labour migration in its development strategy and with the collaboration of the IOM, indeed, Mauritians who are working in Canada have been sending remittances to their families. This is a good sign whereby our people are saving and sending funds to Mauritius which surely will be used either to set up small businesses or for the improvement of their quality of living.
Ladies and gentlemen, in labour migration, both receiving and sending countries benefit, one in terms of skills and the other in terms of remittances. However, in the process, we should not forget the worker himself. The worker, who is often already in a vulnerable situation, should therefore be given all the support and collaboration needed so that he can adapt to the receiving country and work without problems. As you are aware, in Mauritius, migrant workers enjoy the same conditions of work as the local workers and the law treats both migrant and local workers equally. The Special Migrant Workers Unit of my Ministry ensures that the conditions of work of the migrant workers as per their contracts of employment are duly respected and any case of complaints are attended to within the shortest delay possible.
Celebrating the Migrants day today is indeed a way to pay homage to the millions of migrant workers around the world who are engaged in a country of which they are not a national. We have to salute their courage and their will power to better their lives by working away from home, often leaving their families behind, and in some countries, at the whims and caprices of employers.
In order to mark the International Migrants Day, my Ministry, through the EPZ Labour Welfare Fund, has been organising a special activity for guests workers for the past six years. And for this year, precisely on Sunday next, some 1000 expatriates from the manufacturing sector have been invited for a recreational day at Belle Mare Waterpark.
Ladies and gentlemen, as Minister responsible for Labour and employment issues, I have a special thought for the 36000 workers coming from over 70 countries working in Mauritius presently, and also for the Mauritian workers earning their living in different parts of the world.
With these words, I would like to thank the IOM for this event and I thank you all for your attention.
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