Zanzibar to adopt a Plan of Action to prevent labour dispute
The ILO trained senior experts in handling national labour laws to facilitate effective labour dispute resolutions in Zanzibar.
20 May 2016
Dar es Salaam (ILO News) - The ILO, through the UN Development Assistance Plan on Governance and, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Zanzibar, organised a four days training workshop on national labour laws and jurisprudence from 17-20 May 2016 in Zanzibar.
The training aimed at identifying national priorities towards the development of a multi-stakeholder national plan of action for improving the functioning of individual labour dispute prevention and resolution systems in Zanzibar.
More than 40 participants from labour dispute resolution institutions and social partners attended the workshop officiated by Honourable Maudline Castico, Minister for Labour, Empowerment, Elders, Youth, Women and Children.
Hon. Maudline urged the institutions to deliver justice in a timely, consistent and predictable manner and ensure that disputes are minimized. He further stressed that, national labour laws, if objectively implemented, are strong catalyst for sound labour relations, which are key to accelerated efficiency and productivity.
A National Plan of Action (NPA) was developed at the conclusion of the training. The plan establishes an integrated platform for action to pursue detailed national priorities for improving the functioning of individual labour dispute resolution systems in the country. It includes three priority areas for implementation:
As a follow-up, two main steps were envisaged towards the implementation of the plan. Selected focal points to coordinate, in consultation with the Labour Economic and Social Council (LESCO), Labour Advisory Board (LAB) and ILO on the implementation of the NPA and the Law Reform Commissions to do the overall coordination, in collaboration with the relevant ministries and institutions.
A number of challenges were noted including backlog of cases due to lack of thorough knowledge of jurisprudence for the judges, lack of clear understanding on the mandates of judicial dispute resolution institutions, and limited capacity and knowledge on the role of key institutions in effectively applying and using labour laws and jurisprudence.
The ILO continues to provide technical support on the improvement of the labour dispute resolution systems in the country seeking to improve the functioning and effectiveness of the entirety of the dispute resolution systems.
The training aimed at identifying national priorities towards the development of a multi-stakeholder national plan of action for improving the functioning of individual labour dispute prevention and resolution systems in Zanzibar.
More than 40 participants from labour dispute resolution institutions and social partners attended the workshop officiated by Honourable Maudline Castico, Minister for Labour, Empowerment, Elders, Youth, Women and Children.
Hon. Maudline urged the institutions to deliver justice in a timely, consistent and predictable manner and ensure that disputes are minimized. He further stressed that, national labour laws, if objectively implemented, are strong catalyst for sound labour relations, which are key to accelerated efficiency and productivity.
A National Plan of Action (NPA) was developed at the conclusion of the training. The plan establishes an integrated platform for action to pursue detailed national priorities for improving the functioning of individual labour dispute resolution systems in the country. It includes three priority areas for implementation:
- Strengthening substantive and procedural legal frameworks through law reforms,
- Improving the functioning of labour institutions through institutional reforms and capacity building and
- Promoting bipartite grievances and dispute handling procedures through collective bargaining and workers’ councils to encourage voluntary compliance and settlement of disputes.
As a follow-up, two main steps were envisaged towards the implementation of the plan. Selected focal points to coordinate, in consultation with the Labour Economic and Social Council (LESCO), Labour Advisory Board (LAB) and ILO on the implementation of the NPA and the Law Reform Commissions to do the overall coordination, in collaboration with the relevant ministries and institutions.
Background Information
The ILO in 2015 conducted a national study as part of broader ILO global research on “Performance of Various Mechanisms and Process for Prevention and Resolution of labour disputes” in order to assess the performance of individual labour dispute resolution systems in Tanzania.A number of challenges were noted including backlog of cases due to lack of thorough knowledge of jurisprudence for the judges, lack of clear understanding on the mandates of judicial dispute resolution institutions, and limited capacity and knowledge on the role of key institutions in effectively applying and using labour laws and jurisprudence.
The ILO continues to provide technical support on the improvement of the labour dispute resolution systems in the country seeking to improve the functioning and effectiveness of the entirety of the dispute resolution systems.