Message from Seychelles Federation of Workers’ Unions (SFWU), secretary general Antoine Robinson to commemorate world day for safety and health at work ‒ April 28, 2022. |29 April 2022
Accidents are caused by the way we do things
“The Covid-19 pandemic has taught all of us ‒ governments, employers, workers and the general population ‒ lessons and experiences on how by working together we can build resilience in facing unprecedented challenges in relation to the virus and the enormous effects it has on the world of work.
“Today in my message I want to focus on the urgent and immediate need for workers to have certain protection against injuries, diseases and deaths that occur during the course of their employment.
“Most injuries are mostly happening in the private sector rather than the public sector and is very alarming while evidence is also showing that to a certain extent there exist underreported and unreported cases. There is an old saying that ‘accidents do not just happen, they are caused!’
“They are caused by the way we do things, so culture as a factor is vital in the causation.
“The Social Security Decree of 1979 and its amendments of 1987 introduced certain benefits for employees in the event of injuries or industrial injuries during the course of their employment. However, the sum provided under the decree is not sufficient to sustain the injured employee and in any case not at all equitable vis-à-vis the injury or disease. While the decree still leaves the way open for claims to be pursued in civil courts, the criticism regarding court delays and high cost still create barriers in access to justice on that matter.
“The Seychelles Federation of Workers Unions (SFWU) is proposing the following as the way forward: For the employment department in the Ministry for Employment and Social Affaires to initiate a series of effective consultations with workers’ and employers’ organisations including the different stakeholders and also the general population on the reintroduction in Seychelles of workers’ compensation legislations which is going to bring benefits to workers and their families that are affected through injuries, and death during the course of employment.”
Antoine Robinson, Secretary general of SFWU