LABOUR Minister Dr. Nanda Gopaul has described 2014 as a very successful year for his ministry, though it was not without challenges.

Speaking recently at his year-end review at the Park Vue Hotel at Farm, East Bank Demerara, Dr Gopaul said his ministry has been working tirelessly since the introduction last year of the national minimum wage and the national working hours law, which bring every single worker to the point where they are protected under Law.

He said “this was made possible because of a tri-partite body working with the ministry in ensuring that we have been able to introduce the necessary order for this to happen.”

Continuing, he explained, “We still believe that $35,000 as the minimum wage is a unsatisfactory figure; we believe that we have to start somewhere, and this has been a real improvement over what took place before.” This, the Labour Minister promised, will be looked at in 2015.

Minister Gopaul went on to deal with highlights for 2014, noting that in some sectors there was tremendous improvement, while some need to be looked at.

He observed that while in 2014 more complaints were lodged than in the previous year, fewer were closed both nominally and percentage wise. This was attributed to the fact that many of the complaints were related to the mining industry, where both employers and complainants seemed to be mobile.

Of some 1244 complaints lodged, only 24 or 1.92 % were related to the non-payment of wages below the National Minimum Wage. This is an inference that the National Minimum Wage is well settled. In 2014, a total of 1,244 complaints were lodged, compared to 1,055 in 2013. Of that amount, 821, or 66%, were resolved.

In an effort to sensitize both employers and employees to their rights and obligations within the framework of the various labour related legislations, the ministry conducted a series of workshops and seminars throughout the year. A total of 51 such sessions were held, with 17 of these being conducted in the last third of 2014.

The Labour Minister noted that one of the core functions of the ministry is the inspection of workplaces to ensure that there is compliance with the necessary labour legislations, as well as to determine whether or not transfer of learning took place at the training programmes. Some 597 workplaces were inspected, an increase of 12.64 % over what was done in 2013. Where breaches of any sort were detected, the errant employers were asked and encouraged to make good these deficiencies. In most cases, the errant employers willingly complied.
The number of industrial accidents reported in 2014 was 421, compared favourably with the 530 reported last year, a reduction of 20.56%. The ministry continued to place a high priority on the prevention and investigations of industrial accidents, Dr. Gopaul explained that while it is the aim of the ministry to be rid of industrial accidents, fortunately a mere 2.13% involved fatalities last year.
Some 28 applications were received from various unions for the provision of conciliatory services. All the matters under focus were resolved at that level, while one was referred to an arbitration tribunal which is currently in progress. It centers on a difference between the Guyana Sugar Corporation and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union over disciplinary action taken against an employee of the Skeldon Estate, he stated.
During 2014, the ministry participated in the number of international conferences and workshops. There were the International Labour Conference (ILO) Conference in Geneva on May 28 to June 4, and the ILO 18th Regional Conference in Lima, Peru, during October 13-16. Additionally, the ministry held other administrative and technical discussions with the ILO Regional Office of Trinidad and Tobago.
Dr Gopaul noted that two outreaches were held in Mahdia and Lethem to sensitise employees to mandatory compliance for Labour, Safety & Health Laws. Training and inspections were also done.
The Ministry of Labour, Dr Gopaul empahasised, continues the fight to alleviate Child Labour by collaborating with the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Police Force in their truancy campaigns.

(Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)