Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said a social security programme for employees who have no economic security such as pensions when they retire, will be implemented this year.
The preliminary work for such a social security programme has begun and will be finalized within the first three months of 2022.
A special committee headed by the Commissioner General of Labour has been set up with the participation of representatives of trade unions and employers, including the Senior Assistant Secretary of the Labour Ministry.
So far, the committee has met several times to discuss the proposed social security programme.
The Labour Minister added that the committee would submit its recommendations to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and seek their technical assistance to further develop the resolution and make the proposed social security programme a reality.
Minister De Silva was speaking to the Daily News on Monday regarding the developments in the labour sector.
According to union representatives, the new retirement plan is targeted at lower paid employees, leaving higher paid employees to enjoy the same benefits as before.
The Labour Ministry has taken a number of initiatives in 2021 to ensure the protection of the rights of employees and job security, which play a key role in the country’s economy, Minister De Silva said.
Accordingly, the national minimum wage was increased to Rs. 12,500 from Rs. 10,000 and the minimum daily wage of an estate worker increased to Rs. 1,000. Besides, the retirement age in the private sector was increased to 60 years and the maximum compensation at the time of termination of employment was increased from Rs. 1.2 million to Rs. 2.5 million.
Measures were taken to increase the minimum age limit of employment from 14 years to 16 years with the aim of eliminating child labour in Sri Lanka. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has praised this decision. The decision on banning 71 jobs categorized as ‘dangerous’ for young people under18 years of age, was also highly appreciated.
The Magistrates’ Court and the Labour Tribunal have been given concurrent jurisdiction to hear cases expeditiously. The granting of concurrent jurisdiction to the Commissioner for Workmen’s Compensation and the Labour Tribunal to expedite the payment of compensation was a great relief to the working people last year, the Labour Minister said. He also pointed out that the power to enforce the orders of the Labour Tribunals to enable the employees’ representatives to appear before the Tribunals was activated from last year.
The Minister said that the imposition of new labour laws requiring suspensions or disciplinary action to be terminated within three months was a great benefit to the employed.
“I consider it a significant victory for the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) to be able to protect workers and employers in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and to maintain industrial peace that will enable the country’s productive economy to survive without collapsing. It is also a victory to be able to provide the Covid vaccines to Sri Lankan expatriate workers and private sector employees in Sri Lanka by resolving a serious issue regarding the provision of Covid vaccines,” Minister De Silva said.
Taking necessary steps to enforce the CWC Convention on the Elimination of Workplace Violence and the C 189 Convention on EPF / ETF Contribution to Domestic Workers are also considered a great privilege for the Sri Lankan working class, he said.
“The year 2022 will be a year of historic victories for the working people of this country,” the Labour Minister said.
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