International labour Organization Dr. Amin Al-Wreidat Enhancing Labour Inspection Effectiveness LAB/ADMIN

1. International labour OrganizationDr. Amin Al-WreidatEnhancing Labour Inspection EffectivenessLAB/ADMIN Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Challenges in the Garment Sector

2. Origin of the problem • The problems starts back at home: • Extreme poverty. • Unemployment. • Large number of dependants.

3. Alluring solutions • Attractive jobs of good working conditions advertised: • The cost of a visa ranges from 1500 to 4000 US $ • Money obtained by getting loans or selling properties. • Sometimes a group of people invest in one. • At the end, a work contract is bought and celebrated.

4. Confrontation with reality • Suffering starts on the first day they arrive to the country • of destination: • Passports and other documents are confiscated. • Contracts signed back at home are forcibly changed. • Documents necessary for legal stay and work are usually not obtained. • Moving around means being caught and deported by authorities.

5. Rights are violated • Typical forms of forced labour and trafficking. • Very long working hours. • Wages are not paid on time. • Overtime hours not accurately calculated. • Annual Leaves cancelled. • Sick leaves deducted. • Social security contributions deducted from workers and not paid to the SSC.

6. High risk working conditions • Hazards mainly come from: • Machinery: Sewing, knitting, washing, pressing…etc. • Cutting tools and needles. • Exposure to chemicals: Dyes, enzymes, solvents, ..etc. • Repetitive motions and poor ergonomic standards. • Lack of training.

7. High risk living conditions • Dormitories are very crowded and poorly ventilated. • Very hot in summer and very cold in winter. • The same place used for sleeping and preparing food. • Own electrical heaters used for cooking and heating. • Electrical currents overloaded. • No fire fighting systems. • Scanty water, unhygienic toilets. • Food is poor in quality and quantity.

8. Health problems • Several breakouts of scabies, hepatitis and chickenpox in the unhygienic dormitories. • High number of cases of piles and varicose veins among workers in finishing sections due to very long standing. • Continuous back and muscle pain due to ergonomic Problems. • Eczema and other skin problems among workers in laundry sections. • Respiratory tract problems among workers in sandblasting. • Visual problems among machine operators and embroidery • and finishing workers.

9. Other social and health problems • Unhealthy sexual relations. • family problems. • Repeated abortions. • Serious gynecological problems. • Sexually transmitted diseases. • Urinary tract problems due to retention. • Psychological stress.

10. Major contributing causes • Problems at the country of origin • Communication barriers • Management problems • Poverty problems • Labour inspection weaknesses

11. Problems at the country of origin • Exploiting recruitment agents exist and grow • No legal protection • Official documents with untrue information are easy to get • Illiteracy and lack of awareness.

12. Communication barriers • Most of workers in the garment sector in the Middle East • are south east Asians. They don’t speak or understand any • language other than their native one: • They don’t understand the law. • They don’t know their rights. • They can’t complain. • The can’t communicate with inspectors

13. Management problems • Middle managements are usually south east Asians: • They are always blamed by top managements. • The only thing they know is production. • They bring their negative practices with them. • They try to prove themselves by increasing productivity. • When they go up, it is always at the cost of workers. • They are the tools by which top managements violate the law. • They are sacrificed when necessary.

14. Poverty consequences • Suffering starts on the first day of work. • Contracts dearly paid for. • When the real situation is discovered, it’s too late. • No way back home without money. • The only way ahead is to compromise and continue.

15. Labour inspection weaknesses • Legal gaps. • Capacity problems. • Communication problems. • Cooperation problems.

16. Legal gaps • Legal problems: • The law may not apply to the industrial zones. • Some provisions may not apply to foreign workers. • The law does not cover all violations. • The law does not cover dormitories. • sanctions are not effective.

17. Capacity problems • Lack of inspectors • Under training • Lack of logistic support • Lack of motivation.

18. Communication problems • Inspectors unable to communicate with managements. • Inspectors unable to communicate with workers

19. Cooperation problems • Uncooperative employers. • Uncooperative workers • Uncooperative other institutions.

20. Solutions “A successful Jordanian experience” Jordan relied mostly on enhancing labour inspection effectiveness in tackling the problem through: • Legislative reform • promotion of dialogue with the social partners • Strengthening the capacities of the inspectorate • Establishment of the “Labour Inspectors’ Training Center” • International support: ● ILO: Social Dialogue and ITCILO, Turin ●Better Work Program: ILO & IFC ●USAID

21. Capacities of the labour inspection system were strengthened by: • Increasing the number of inspectors. • Motivating inspectors by generous incentives. • Providing logistic support. • Development of a “Desk Book For Labor Inspectors” • Development of a “Standard Operative procedures” • Partial computerization of inspection activities. • Developing performance monitoring and evaluation plans. • Extending inspectors’ working hours by organizing overtime.

22. Other measures • Development of the “Golden List”. • Development of the “Intensive Inspection Surveillance List” • Development of the “Core Inspection Force”. • Establishment of the Hotline Services. • Recruitment of interpreters who speak all workers’ languages. • Awareness raising programs in different languages. • Establishment of unions’ offices in the industrial zones.

23. Labour inspectors’ training Inspectors were trained on • International Labour Standards. • Fundamental human rights. • Occupationalsafetyand health. • Special courses on trafficking, forced labour and discrimination at work. • National labour legislations and prosecution. • Best labour inspection practices and procedures. • Collective bargaining, mediations and dispute settlement. • Time and resources management. • Communication and computer skills.

24. Quality of inspection improved Improvement reflected as: • Better inspection reports. • Higher levels of compliance. • Less violations. • Decreased complaints. • Reduced number of strikes. • Positive internal and external feed back.

25. ? alwreidat@ilo.org

26. Thank You