An updated Worker's Guide on the Mauritian Employment Law, in light of the new legislation in place (The Workers' Rights Act 2019), was launched, today, by the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, during a ceremony held at the Municipal City Council of Port-Louis.
The booklet has been produced by the Mauritius Trade Union Congress (MTUC) in collaboration with its affiliates, namely the Federation of Agro-Industry and Allied Workers Unions; the Federation of Democratic Labour Unions; and the Federation of Local Government and Other Labour Unions.
National Trade Union Leaders and MTUC Union Presidents were presented with a copy of the Worker's Guide on that occasion. The publication has been edited by Professor (Dr) Rajendra Parsad Gunputh, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Management at the University of Mauritius.
In his address, President Roopun congratulated the MTUC and its affiliates for having published a compilation of labour legislations which has been written in a simple, clear and precise manner. The Worker's Guide will serve as a guide and useful tool for one and all to master labour legislations in Mauritius, he emphasised.
The President recalled that the first labour legislation was enacted in 1975 and highlighted the importance of labour legislation which brings about a balance between employees and employers so that there is no abuse of power.
Speaking about amendments introduced to labour legislations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Roopun highlighted that these were done in a particular context to ensure that there were no mass lay-offs. On that note, he appealed to workers and employers to promote social dialogue to resolve issues and maintain a civilised relationship. He, moreover, expressed hope that the country will go through more development despite the difficult economic context globally. Behind all development there is the collaboration of workers and if all stakeholders work together the country will further progress, he added.
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For his part, the Senior Adviser, Ministry of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training, Mr M. Caremben, spoke of the mission of trade unions to sensitise and train members on workers' rights and their pertinence when conducting collective bargaining. At the negotiating table, both management and trade unions are on equal footing and therefore trade unions should be fully equipped to face challenging situations, he remarked.
In addition, Mr Caremben gave an overview of labour laws in Mauritius which, he underlined, have undergone radical changes. Since 2018, the Labour Act has been repealed and replaced by the Workers' Rights Act which has consolidated the rights of workers so that the latter are better protected, he further stated.
