PM says gov't committed to protecting rights of workers

Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, says the Government is committed to protecting the rights of workers whose sacrifices have resulted in the economic growth now being experienced.

Speaking at the launch of Workers’ Week and Labour Day 2019 activities at the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday, he emphasised that this and other safeguards are important in preserving Jamaica’s fragile recovery, “as the economy gets stronger and more robust.”

Holness, who noted that the economy is improving as evidenced by record high employment and low unemployment, said for this to continue “we must ensure that our businesses can grow and have the confidence to employ.”

“At the same time, we must ensure that our workers are satisfied in their employment and that labour is properly rewarded,” he added.

He praised workers’ unions for being “very progressive” over the last 30 years and said that they should always seek to utilise the mechanism developed for resolving conflicts, “because any action outside of that could easily destabilise the very tenuous and fragile recovery of our economy”.

Workers’ Week is being observed under the theme ‘Yes to decent work; no to child labour’.

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