Minister invites all stakeholders to attend Forum on Labour Law reforms
Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara assured yesterday that so far no document has been prepared on Labour Law reforms.
He invited trade unions, political party representatives and other stakeholders to participate in the ongoing public consultations organized by the Labour Ministry seeking public views related to the amendment of labour laws, before going to the media and commenting on the revision of labour laws.
The Minister stressed that the International Monetary Fund or any other organization has not instructed to amend the labour laws. He was addressing the third session of ‘Influx’, a public consultation organized by the Labour Ministry seeking public views related to the amendment of labour laws.
The Minister addressing the gathering further said; Our main objective is to change the labour law which is about 100 years old. The International Labour Organization or any other international organization has not told us to change the labour law of our country. As a country, we have been blaming each other for the last 75 years and we are not thinking about moving forward. The number of institutions that pay EPF and ETF, is about 80,000. This is very low. There are only about two million workers registered in EPF and ETF. There are only 280,000 tax paying institutions in the country.I mean including those who pay PAYE taxes. Can a country move forward if even 10 percent of the country’s institutions do not pay taxes? We are only accusing each other, but measures required to solve the problems have not been taken.
There are many problems in running businesses and industries in our country. The problems that arise regarding the labour rules take a major place in it. They have been raised by employers at various times. And the same goes for working people. They also do not get much protection under these labour laws. If the existing labour laws and regulations have been effective, the labour community of our country should have prospered. But that has not happened.
The current government has made policies with the goal that we should be a developed country at least by the year 2048, which is the centenary of independence. Today we have to develop our workforce according to changing times and changing technologies.If that is not possible, we will fail as a country.
“Therefore, many suggestions were made that the labour law should be prepared in our country in accordance with the rules and guidelines of the International Labour Organization. We made this matter an open discussion.We have invited trade unions through the Labour Commissioner General to submit proposals and ideas for this. I have invited all the political parties in writing to submit their views and suggestions in this regard.
“I hope to write letters to the unions and invite them again this week. We also invite employers associations and anyone interested in this matter to comment at these public consultations.
These suggestions and comments can be submitted in writing or by participating in person,”the Minister said.