Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Sarah Jane Lebrasse
Published on 2024-03-15 16:00:39
The United Workers Federation (FTU) has raised concerns with the authorities regarding the situation prevailing in the private sector. Atma Shanto asserts that there is a degradation in the quality of employment and an abuse of the use of surveillance cameras. He also laments that some employers refuse to negotiate on wages, justifying the fact that there has been a salary adjustment and that the minimum wage has been increased.
Atma Shanto points out that on several occasions, complaints have been lodged with the Ministry of Labour and the police, but no action has been taken. “Today, there is a big problem with enforcement at the Ministry of Labour. There are laws to protect workers, but they are not enforced when abuses are reported,” he says.
For the FTU spokesperson, the authorities have abdicated their responsibilities, especially at the Ministry of Labour. “I have sounded the alarm several times. It is very rare for a case to be referred to the Industrial Court. Even then, it takes three to five years,” he protests. He adds that closures and layoffs continue in the country.
Atma Shanto also criticizes employers who, in his opinion, exercise the rights of workers as they please. “There is a hotel, Club Med, which has chosen to close the establishment during the month of June due to Low Occupancy and for renovation. Employees will receive their usual salaries, but their Annual Leaves will be deducted. However, Annual Leaves belong to the workers. It is they who should decide when they want to take them and not the employer,” he says.
Atma Shanto denounces the government’s approach to making changes to labor laws through the Finance Bill. “There have been changes to Annual Leaves, which will now accumulate, as is the case with Sick Leaves, without any debate. Amendments were slipped through the Finance Bill without discussion. The same goes for the conditions regarding work in hotels during cyclones,” he explains.
Atma Shanto also raises concerns about the situation at Newrest Mauritius. He believes that metal detectors are used on employees by the security service, which could be potentially dangerous for pregnant women. “In the same company, employees must deposit their mobile phones at security before starting work,” he says. Recently, the unionist adds, there was a person whose father had passed away; her relatives tried to contact her all day to inform her, without success. “It’s only after work that she learned about her father’s death,” Atma Shanto adds.
Furthermore, the unionist strongly condemns the abusive use of surveillance cameras in companies. He believes that the Ministry of Technology should establish guidelines for this. “To this day, there are no Guidelines and employers place cameras wherever they want. With technology, they can even monitor employees from their mobile phones when they are at home. This is unacceptable. It is also unfortunate that the Data Protection Office does not react to this issue,” he says.
The latest trend is the refusal of some employers to engage in negotiations for salary revisions. “They argue that the minimum wage has already increased and there has also been a salary adjustment. However, these two elements have nothing to do with the salary revisions included in the Collective Bargaining,” he points out. He calls on the Ministry of Labour to respond.
Atma Shanto also laments the fact that the legislation regarding the 2024 salary compensation was published late. “As a result, some employees did not receive compensation in January. The Prime Minister should hold his Minister of Labour accountable for this,” he recommends.
The FTU also denounces employers who demand their staff to work longer hours because the minimum wage has been increased. He regrets that for some, workers have become just a “production tool.”
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
