DONALD BUCHANAN, Minister of Labour and Social Security, has started a round of meetings with employers and trade unions in a bid to speed up deliberations on labour reform measures.
Mr. Buchanan's main priorities are the amendments to the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act (LRIDA) and the Trade Union Act (TUA), which have been before Parliament for over two years now, and the issue of flexitime (flexible work week).
He told The Gleaner last Tuesday that he would be meeting with the employers and the trade unions on the controversial amendments issues, after which the Joint Select Committee of Parliament studying the amendments would meet to prepare their report to Parliament. The report would then be debated and the amendments passed into law.
Mr. Buchanan met with representatives of the Jamaica Employers' Federation (JEF) Wednesday evening but no date has been set for the meeting with the unions.
During the meeting, the JEF representatives reiterated their position on the controversial issues of the definition of worker and the right to strike.
The employers are opposed to the definition supported by the trade unions, which would include contract workers. They are also against the inclusion of a clause giving workers the right to strike under certain conditions.
Mr. Buchanan's programme will have to be put on hold during next week, however, as he will be away visiting farm work sites in the United States.
But he may return home to a more positive situation in terms of the controversial amendments.
Although both the trade unions and the employers seem quite set in their positions, Danny Roberts, Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions vice-president, says there is some hope of a compromise.
He said the unions had been having informal discussions with some private sector leaders, "which have proven to be fruitful."
"I think the informality of the discussions has caused us to understand each other's position better," he said.
