By: Haja Hawa Koroma
The Chinese Embassy and The Ministry of Labour has held an information sharing seminar on the 14th July 2022 to brief employers, employees and business owners on Labour laws and the new Labour Bill that has been drafted with the hope of transforming it into an Act through Parliamentary enactment.
This seminar was as a result of The Ministry of Labour and their Partners coming to the realization that the current Labour laws do not match best practices or international standards, and that the Labour laws have been causing a lot of confusion, unfairness in the workplace between employers and their employees. Therefore, the ministry and its partners came to a conclusion that they should adapt these laws to the emerging issues.
They engaged in consultations with stakeholders and the necessary parties involve from all over the country for a review process of these laws.
Also engaged workers and employees because their aim is to educate every worker on the Labour laws, so everyone can know their rights and responsibilities as ‘ignorant of the law is no excuse’.
In his statement, H. E the Deputy Ambassador Mr. Li Xiaoyong, expressed his gratitude for such gatherings as it helps to have a clear understanding of what the employer and employee relationship should be.
According to him, they have so much interest in this information as China’s Friendship with Sierra Leone includes businesses and economic issues.
The Deputy Ambassador stated that, China is one of the countries that invest in a lot of different businesses in Sierra Leone, as according to him they have so many Sierra Leonean staff and such seminars will help them to render better working facilities for their staff.
The Deputy Ambassador said that despite the fact that they have been treating their staff well, there are some Labour laws they were not familiar with, and this seminar has educated them in not only how to be good employers but how to set up businesses as well.
Mr. Li Xiaoyong added that, China and Sierra Leone shares so many similarities, and despite the differences between their cultures, they always treat Sierra Leoneans as their brothers in their work places because both nations have a common goal and that is to develop Sierra Leone and make it a better country.
He promised that they will work with Sierra Leone and the Labour laws to increase productivity in the country and though there are challenges, he is sure that they will be able to overcome these challenges.
The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Mr. Alpha O. Timbo, stated that, as a government it is their responsibility to make sure that they create an enabling environment for both the private sector as well as developing partners in pursuing the development of the nation.
He added that the People’s Republic of China has set the pace to work with the people of Sierra Leone together, and part of this is the employer relationship with their workers.
The Minister mentioned that one of the provisions in the Labour Act provides for a platform for employers and their organizations to sit down and discuss terms of employments with their workers in order to have a level playing field with them.
The Minister said this ensures that both parties know their responsibilities to each other, and to establish mutual respect, and to know their limitations, in order for both parties not to trample on the rights of each other.
He expressed that, they’ve been engaging in such seminars that are designed to educate and increase awareness of each other’s difficulties and the benefits of improved skills and high productivity.
He said that they are in the process for the additional laws to be enacted and most of these new Labour laws focuses on employees better conditions of service and to ensure that there are job provisions for Sierra Leoneans as these laws will make provisions for Sierra Leoneans to be considered for employment rather than to bring foreigners from abroad for jobs that Sierra Leoneans can do.
The work Permit laws, Industrial Relations, Employment Exchange, Migration Unit and Occupational Safety and Health laws were delved into and well explained for employers and workers to know what to do when they are faced with these issues.
The Occupational Safety and Health laws, caters for the employee to be given a proper medical treatment even if the illness requires for that employee to be treated abroad as long he was injured or derived that illness from working conditions or during exercising his duties at work.
The employer is required to pay a worker his salary during his period of treatment even if he is not working, and to also compensate that worker if needs be. The Employer must also retain the worker’s employment and if that worker cannot perform his/her duties because of the injuries him/her might have sustained, the employer must provide him/her with another job that is more suitable to perform.
Some of the laws on the bill that are awaiting enactment, made provisions for women to be more included in the working landscape. There are provisions for women to work in the mines if they want to, and the leave of absence for pregnant women have been extended, and there is also provision for a two weeks leave of absence for the men when their wife gives birth.
All these and more are what to be expected in the new Act if enacted, and some of these laws are explained for people to get educated if they didn’t already know.
