THE BOYCOTT of the Ministry of Labour by the unions comprising the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) is unprecedented.
While from time to time various players in the tripartite complex of industrial relations have sought to show their displeasure by not attending meetings, it is unheard of for a whole arm of the triad to completely withdraw from the process.
It is possible that the Confederation is simply flexing its enormous muscles, in the face of the increasing pressure from the Ministry to act within the confines of the labour laws. But, the boycott cannot be taken so lightly, because we do not believe that such a responsible body could act so forcibly for trivial reasons.
The JCTU is comprised of the 12 major unions in the country, including those representing teachers, nurses and civil servants, as well as the many smaller unions affiliated to these 12. Without its participation in the industrial relations process and, especially, the conciliatory machinery at the Ministry, the whole thing will collapse.
In the circumstances, it is alarming that such major players should suddenly withdraw from the proceedings causing a postponement of the first meeting of the Labour Advisory Committee (LAC) for the year and threatening wage negotiations involving both the Minister and the Ministry. It is, therefore, necessary to look at it in the context of recent calls by both labour and employers for the labour market reform measures to be dealt with much more urgently.
We note that Minister of Labour Horace Dalley, himself, in a statement on Tuesday night reacting to the Confederation's decision, admitted that the labour reform process has been proceeding slowly, although some aspects were well advanced. In the interest of the nation and the economy, it might be in the best interest of all that the Government seeks to play a more authoritative role in circumstances where consensus is hard to achieve, in order to speed up the process.
After nearly a decade of talk, it is time for us to proceed to the point where all productive sectors are fully prepared to exploit whatever benefits become available in the highly competitive global arena so rapidly emerging.
The unions must realise that the expertise of the very conciliatory machinery they have immobilised must be restored to action
without delay.
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