Ministry builds up capacity on labour dispute resolution |13 November 2013

The Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development is since yesterday holding a three-day workshop on negotiating skills and dispute resolution at Le Méridien Barbarons hotel.
 
Organised with the collaboration of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the workshop aims at establishing an effective dispute resolution framework, geared at building the capacity to resolve labour disputes through negotiation, conciliation and mediation. The training is part of the implementation of the five-year Seychelles Decent Work Country Programme signed by the government of Seychelles with the ILO in 2011.

The Seychelles Employment Act creates the possibility of solving disputes without resorting to the court system. However, the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development feels it is essential to revitalise the process in order to ensure effective labour dispute resolutions which are necessary to sound economic and social development. Also, there is currently a global trend for alternative ways to address labour disputes than through legal action.
 
The principal secretary for employment and human resource development Veronique Bresson officially launched the training yesterday morning in the presence of the minister responsible for labour Idith Alexander, ILO labour law expert Angelika Muller, senior commissioner from the commission for conciliation, mediation and arbitration of South Africa William Thomson and other invitees.

Also present were the course delegates who are labour employees, employers and employee representatives, lawyers and workers.

Miss Bresson thanked the ILO for the continued technical help and collaboration towards the government’s effort in addressing employment challenges.

She reminded that employment officers have already benefitted from training at the ILO training centre in Turin, Italy, but having trainers come to Seychelles is much more beneficial to the country, as it is an opportunity for a greater number of officers to be trained.

She announced that her ministry has mediated on average 640 cases of labour disputes annually since 2009, with the most common complaints relating to unpaid salary and claims of unjustified termination of employment.

However, with the statistical trend showing that less than half of the cases mediated reach a settlement, with the others going for litigation at the Employment Tribunal, PS Bresson stressed that labour dispute is an issue that needs to be tackled, particularly at the workplace between the employer and the worker.
 
She concluded by calling everyone involved to play their part in creating better labour relations.

“I urge the employers to continue promoting sound industrial relations in their organisations. I also recommend the workers to be receptive to possible solutions with your employer with the help of a mediator. I solicit the collaboration of the employers and workers’ organisations to play a greater role in educating workers and advising them and employers to settle disputes peacefully, without encouraging litigation.”

On her part, Mrs Muller said the mission of the ILO replies to the needs of the Seychelles government which are labour reforms, social dialogue and dispute resolution.

She added that it was necessary to learn how to negotiate, prevent and resolve labour conflicts.

 The ILO expert insisted on the importance of training in this regard, maintaining that the collaboration between her organisation and Seychelles will continue in order to improve the local dispute resolution system, improve the Employment Act and Industrial Relation Act, implement the Country Programme and promote more decent jobs for more social justice.