Gov’t Committed to Decent Work Agenda

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson, says Jamaica is fully committed to the fundamental principles of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Decent Work Agenda.

She was addressing the 105^th session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday (June 8). The conference themed ‘Building a Future with Decent Work’ was held from May 30-June 10.

Decent work involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income; security in the workplace and social protection for families; better prospects for personal development and social integration; freedom for people to express their concerns, organise and participate in the decisions that affect their lives; and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.

Minister Robinson applauded the ILO for its focus on decent work in supply chains, noting the increasing number of persons employed in these sectors.

She said particular attention must be paid to ending child labour in supply chain industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, services, and construction.

“Governments, as well as businesses, must become more vigilant in ensuring that those involved in the supply chain processes share a commitment to ethical business practices and appropriate labour standards,” she said.

Minister Robinson noted that the Jamaican Government treats as priority the provision of education and occupational training for young people to enable them to access productive and lasting employment.

The Labour Minister also highlighted Jamaica’s efforts, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to combat human trafficking through the training of labour inspectors, investigators and social workers to increase awareness and improve their capacity to identify instances of trafficking.

Minister Robinson thanked the ILO for its technical support in refining Jamaica’s soon to be enacted Occupational Safety and Health legislation as it will pave the way for the country to ratify the ILO’s Maritime and Domestic Workers Conventions.

The broad policies of the ILO are set by the International Labour Conference, which meets every June in Geneva.

This annual conference brings together governments, workers and employer delegates of the ILO member states.
The event establishes and adopts international labour standards and is a forum for discussion of key social and labour questions.