Labor Minister, Cooper Kruah, has assured the International Labor Organization (ILO) that the Liberian government is committed to adhering to the freedom association and the harmonization of the two labor laws, but technical assistance is needed from the ILO, as Augustine Octavius reports.
He said the government has granted the civil servants the right to form an association while encouraging all private sector workers, including health workers and teachers, to form or join unions.
Minister Kruah was speaking when the Regional Director of the International Labor Organization (ILO) for English-speaking West African States, Madam Vanessa Phala, ahead of ILO, Technical Advisory Mission of three members met with officials of the Ministry of Labor during the week.
According to the minister, after a series of consultations, it was realized that not all public workers are civil servants, such as health workers and teachers.
He said that, unlike in the past, when health workers were not allowed to form a union, those working in the private sector are now granted the right to unionize.
In respond, Regional Director of the International Labor Organization (for English-speaking West African States, Madam Vanessa Phala said the objective of the mission visit to Liberia was to follow up on the conclusion of the recommendation of the Committee of Experts of Application of the ILO. Committee made up a tripartite committee of workers, employers and government.
She said in September 2023, the Committee made several recommendations to the Liberian government on the applications of ILO Conventions #87 (Freedom of Association) and #98 (the Right to Collective Bargaining).
Dr. Phala pointed out that the ILO Direct Contact Mission is to facilitate dialogue and provide technical support to help a country address issues related to the application of international labor standards.
She hailed the minister for creating the platform for dialogue and to implement the recommendation as well as facilitate the coming together of the partners in Liberia to develop a roadmap that will begin the implementation of the application of standards.
She noted that this is going to be prolong process that will require continue engagement and dialogue and the ILO stance ready to providing support to address the conclusion and begin to allow the organization to support member states (Liberia), government development priority which is the “ARREST Agenda” which articulate what the government need.
The ILO Regional Director stressed the need for the protection and rights in Liberia by allowing workers in all sector the union.
The meeting was geared towards supporting the government to develop a roadmap for implementing and reporting on International Labor Standards (ILS) while harmonizing the two labor laws of the country (the Decent Work Act and the Civil Service Standing Orders).