Transcript Labour inspections changing the Path : Capacity building

Labour inspections changing the Path
: Capacity building for Arlac member
countries
Cecilia Mulindeti
Director
African Regional Labour
Administration Centre
(ARLAC)
Labour Inspections in Africa
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Labour inspections are aimed at achieving the basic
workers rights in the workplace.(C155)
promotion of compliance with national legislation and
good labour practices.
framework for sound and effective industrial relations,
important to understand the key principles for
prevention and integration.
Labour Inspections in Africa
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preventive measures than just safety of
workers, implies a determined effort to
reduce accidents and work related
diseases.
Integrated inspections which implies that
the labour inspection will be addressed by
a competent inspector
highly specialised experts e.g.
toxicologists, occupational hygienists or
occupational medicine personnel to
supplement
Effects of the Crisis on the
Economy
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IMF projects Africa to grow by a mere 2% in
2009 down from 5.2% In 2008 and 6.2% in
2007.
Decline in the demand for African products,
investment, both local and FDI.
The fall of international commodity prices has
impacted on exporters of raw materials and
agriculture produce. In Burundi, coffee
earnings fell by 36%
Effects of the Crisis on the
Economy
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Prices of copper, cotton and sugar declined by
more than 20%.
Volatility of the exchange rate due to speculation
and fall of remittances depreciation of some
currencies such as cedi,naira,dinar and kwacha
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Worst hit areas electric power and infrastructure
projects, mining and tourism. In Ethiopia, Kenya
and Botswana electric power construction
delayed and are facing constraints in access to
finance(AULASC)
Effects of the Crisis on the Employment
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Job losses economic sectors mining sector
layoffs in countries such as DR Congo(300,
000, Zambia(8000) Botswana
Decline in commodity exports of manganese
in Gabon and of timber and diamonds in
CARepublic.(AU LASC).
motor assembly in South Africa laid off about
40 000 workers.
African Diaspora decline in employment and
earnings and remittances
Challenges on Occupational
Health and Safety
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In SubSaharan Africa formal sector employment
declining from 12% to 8%
new and insecure forms of employment
characterised by casualisation of labour.
increased informalisation of work and the
economy increases the demand for
integrated inspections
Government policy restructuring at the time
that inspections must be extended to cover
all areas of pro poor growth.
Challenges........
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Ratification and domestication of OSH Cs
Policy and legal framework
Resources – financial, human, outdated
equipment
Compensation and reward system for
human resources – OSH Inspectors
Lack of harmonized regional policy
framework
Strategic Responses
The joint AUC-ILO workshop held on
“Productivity and Social Dialogue” May
2009 produced Guidelines on Social
Dialogue(2010-2016) and promotion of
Productivity agenda for Africa
 Discussed by the AU LASC in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, 2nd September 2009.
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What needs to be done
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Development of national and regional policies
on occupational safety and health (OSH), to
with strong political commitment.
Modernization of national legislative
framework, OSH capacities and a move
towards harmonizing (sub) and regional OSH
legislation
Partnerships at international, national and
local levels, including social partners, inter
Ministerial collaboration(Health and Labour)
What needs to be done
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“reaching the unreached”, informal
economy, child labour and high risk sectors.
Tools needed to help strengthen, support,
monitor and evaluate national OSH
programmes and initiatives
Development and implementation of a tool
box on promotion, awareness raising and
advocacy, education, standardization (codes
and guidelines),
Guidelines on Social Dialogue
2010 - 2016
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Based on the pillars of AU Ouagadougou in
2004,Decent Work agenda for Africa(2007)
and ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a
fair Globalization(2008)
African challenges of improving productivity
and responding to the crisis
Various levels of development of social
dialogue institutions and National
employment policies
Promotion of key ILO C87,98 & 144
Guidelines on Social Dialogue
2010 - 2016
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Programme include audit of existing social dialogue
structures
Capacity building for strengthening the structures
National campaigns for ratification and domestication
Utilization of Regional economic blocks such as
ECOWAS, SADC, COMESA
Guidelines on Social Dialogue 2010 - 2016
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Presented to the 7th AU LASC for
information, September 2009
Regional Tripartite workshops to be held
between 2009 and 2010
Tripartite Validation meeting at the
continental level in 2010 in readiness for
adoption
The Productivity Agenda 2010 - 2016
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Productivity as essential for creating more and better
jobs through growth from new investments.
Ouagadogou Summit of 2004 called for increased
productivity by improving OSH and hygeinne and
partnerships between the public and private sector
Particular focus on the informal economy which is
capable of producing productive and decent jobs
The Productivity Agenda 2010 - 2016
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Factors contributing to low productivity in Africa
Quality of education and training
Ineffectiveness of LMIS
Quality of Social dialogue
State of infrastructure, low and slow ICT
The Productivity Agenda 2010 - 2016
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Strategies include:
Promotion of Labour management relations within the
enterprise/org
Promote productivity in key sectors of the economy,
IE,SMEs,Industry
Encourage and support the setting up of NPOs and
strengthening existing ones.
Conclusion
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ARLAC will convene a training programme in the
first quarter of 2010, for its member countries on
“Specialised Training on Occupational Safety and
Health and emerging issues” in the context of the
effects of the crisis.
Targeted at tripartite participants with a number of
policy and practical actions for providing OSH
services to both the formal and informal sector.
Platform sharing of experiences on the OSH
responses to the crisis, and develop strategic
actions for follow up. THANK YOU