Advancing social justice, promoting decent work
ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations
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Training workshop for labour inspectors on “ensuring good working conditions for workers, including migrant workers”
As part of a series of training workshops to labour inspectors around Jordan, the ILO delivered a three day workshop for labour inspectors of the Ministry of Labour, based in Amman, to strengthen their capacity relating to effective inspection of working conditions, particularly in ‘difficult to reach’ sectors of construction and domestic work, and to encourage a better understanding of both national and international standards and good practices on labour inspection and OSH.
Labour inspection is one key way of ensuring compliance of employers with the labour law, and making particular types of work not only attractive to migrant workers but also Jordanian nationals. Labour inspection is particularly important in types of work which include the most vulnerable workers, who may not proactively raise the alarm where their rights or employers’ obligations are breached. This is particularly the case for vulnerable migrant workers in dangerous occupations (such as construction) or poorly regulated and isolated environments (domestic work). Currently, much of the focus of labour inspectors relating to migrant workers is on their legal status, rather than working conditions – which raises the risk of occupational accidents and exploitation of workers, leading to a lower interest among Jordanians in exploring opportunities in such sectors.
The FAIRWAY project (Regional Fair Migration in the Middle East Project), which is focused on supporting the improvement of working and living conditions of migrant workers in Jordan, particularly domestic and construction workers, is supporting the implementation of the training, based on a request for technical support from the Ministry of Labour.
The training, which comprises a mix of teaching and interactive group work, covers international labour standards, national labour standards and modern labour inspection procedures and practices. The training will also allow inspectors to:
Reflect on key labour challenges faced by migrant workers, particularly in the sectors where low-skilled migrant workers predominate (construction and domestic work);
explore ideas and good practices in relation to monitoring OSH and working conditions in domestic work; and
think proactively about changes, including regulatory, structural and functional ones, that could make current procedures of labour inspection more effective.
