The Ministry of Labor says it has observed with total dismay the increase in the number of illegal actions by some employees and contractors at workplaces across the country that contravenes provisions of the “Decent Work Act of 2015”.
The Ministry advised employers and their organizations to desist from illegal labor practices as the Ministry strives to improve the labor sector of the country by implementing the Decent Work Act of 2015.
According to the Ministry through a press statement released on March 10th in Monrovia, such an unlawful act on the part of workers and their organizations have the propensity to undermine industrial peace and harmony as well as national security of the Country.
Section 14.1 of the Decent Work Act of 2015 talks about the “Right to strike or lockout”, while Sub-section 41.2 provides that “…every party to a dispute of interest has the right to strike or lockout if…the dispute has been referred in the prescribed form to the Ministry for conciliation in accordance with section 40.3…the party has attended the conciliation meetings convened by the conciliator, and…the dispute remains unresolved at the end of a period of 30 days from the date of the referral”.
The Ministry said henceforth it all workers and employers in Liberia planning to embark on any strike actions, termination of employment contracts, redundancy and other Labor actions should do so in conformity with the Country’s Labor laws.
The Labor Ministry noted that however that the Ministry is committed to protecting the rights of workers and employers throughout the country and calls on all stakeholders of the Labor sector to respect the laws.
The Decent Work Act of 2015 or the Labor Laws of Liberia, particularly the provisions on the protection of trade unions and employers’ rights provide clear means by which workplace issues can be resolved amicably and peacefully. “We will all be happy if we govern ourselves accordingly” the Ministry has maintained.
