7 News Belize

The Other Side of OSH Urgency
posted (December 4, 2019)
On Friday's news, we told you about the Social Security Board's Employment Injury Forum. It was a frank discussion between the SSB officials and employers and employees about how costly their coverage of workplace injuries have been.

SSB is encouraging all parties to work together and urge the government to pass the OSH, or the Occupational Safety and Health Bill. This is a draft piece of legislation that was tabled all the back in 2014 to legally establish minimum standards for a safer work environment for all Belizean workers. In principle, it is a great idea, but in its original draft form, the nation's employers complained that the legislation placed too great a financial burden on them to ensure occupational safety for their employees.

That's where the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry are supposed to come in. They have formed a committee to examine the bill and arrive at a final position that is agreeable to both sides. But, whatever the delays in those talks are, this consultation period has basically stalled the passage of the OSH bill.

After our story about the SSB Employment Injury Forum aired last week, Dr. Carla Barnett, the Labour Minister of State, told us that - in her opinion - Neither the unions nor BCCI seem in a hurry. They're not holding themselves to any timeframe for finishing this work."

We've also seen a joint letter that the presidents of both the NTUCB and the Chamber have sent to Dr. Barnett to explain the delay.

The letter is dated November 11th, 2019, and it reads, quote, "In your letter…in which you requested for both the… Chamber… and the… Union to 'provide an indication of the timeframe within which' we expect to complete the review of the... (OSH) Bill… We first wish to assure you that both... Parties share your Ministry's expressed commitment to the enactment and implementation of this much-needed legislation…" End quote.

But, then, the letter goes on to explain that, quote, "…originally, the objective was to conclude the review exercise within a three-month period... However, with the level of detail and thoroughness required to arrive at a final product supported by both parties, that initial timeframe is impractical. Nonetheless, be assured that... the BCCI and NTUCB have prioritized this process with the intent to have it finalized in the shortest time practically possible…" End quote.

That's where it is at this time, the bill cannot be passed until these 2 social partners have agreed to its final form, and they say that, basically, they'll get it completed when they get it completed.




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