Minister of Labour and Social Security Donald Buchanan (left) speaking at a recent Board meeting of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. At right is the chamber's president Anthony Chang. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS to the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act (LRIDA), along with the flexible work week, are to become reality in the 2000/2001 legislative year, according Labour Minister Donald Buchanan.
He told the board of directors of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) recently that arrangements were in the final stages before becoming law and that the Government was completing consultations with all sectors before making final adjustments to draft bills.
"I want to indicate that when the consultations are over, the legislation is going to be enacted. The Bill is going to be taken to Parliament and we are going to enact the new labour relations and industrial disputes amendments and the trade union act in this legislative year of 2000-2001," said the Minister.
The announcement was met with skepticism by some JCC board members, one of whom noted that discussions had been going on for close to 15 years. While he acknowledged that a small committee was still attempting to iron out the major sticking point of LRIDA the definition of a worker Mr. Buchanan confidently restated that the labour changes would come on stream this legislative year.
Earlier this year the Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF) had asked the Government to revisit the proposal which it said distorted the definition of the two types of workers as laid down by common law namely - contract for service and a contract of service.
This was still the position of some board members, among them the Immediate Past President of the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association (JMA) Sameer Younis. Mr. Younis noted that the change in definition would affect opportunities for young people and small entrepreneurs.
"If you change that word contract for service and contract of service you are totally destroying any future for the young people to move forward in any small services," he said.
A contract for service refers to a contract for work or for services to be rendered to a person by an independent contractor which does not give rise to the relationship of an employer and employee. The contract of service establishes or characterises the relationship between the person, the JEF said.
Meanwhile, Minister Buch-anan is urging the nation to move away from adversarial relationships between businesses as well as management and staff. Instead, he recommended that the various sectors seriously consider social partnerships because it is only by forming partnerships can Jamaica effectively face and take advantage of the changing global marketplace, which has largely taken various sectors by surprise.
- Contributed
