Civil society organisations denounce planned abolition of Labour Ministry

AMMAN — Transferring the Labour Ministry’s functions to other governmental entities “will cause chaos in labour market programmes, policies and data collection”, warned a group of Jordanian civil society organisations.

Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights, the Phenix Centre for Economics and Informatics Studies, Workers’ House, and the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), signed a joint statement to demonstrate their disapproval of the recently announced proposal by the Public Sector Development Committee to merge some existing ministries and ultimately abolish the Ministry of Labour.

The proposal is detrimental due to its effects on the labour market and labour parties, said a joint statement sent to The Jordan Times, which noted that “the cancellation of the Labour Ministry is contrary to the approach of social dialogue and partnership between employees and employers with the government".

Further, the statement warned against moving forward with such plans, as they would weaken the ability of governmental bodies to meet their obligations related to regulating the labour market and ensuring necessary protections to maintain decent working conditions.

“This approach and the decisions that ensue will deepen social inequality, economic inequality and increase poverty rates,” according to the organisations, pointing out the importance of strengthening the Labour Ministry’s role as a main channel for social dialogue in the provision of social protection policies.

The organisations told The Jordan Times that the responsibilities of labour policies and their implementation are interlinked and indivisible. They include a set of functions imposed by the Constitution, affirmed by national legislation and Jordan's obligations under the international conventions and treaties it has ratified.

In conclusion, the statement said that the Labour Ministry plays a key role in the processes of consultation, cooperation and negotiation between social partners, workers and employers situated within the framework of the tripartite structure.