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Callichurn: The Ratification Of Convention 190 Gives Dignity To Workers

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The ratification of Convention 190 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) by Mauritius was the subject, Wednesday, of a seminar organized by the Confederation of Independent Trade Union (CITU) at the municipality of Port-Louis. It was an opportunity for the Minister of Labor, Soodesh Callichurn, to highlight that now the private sector and government employees are protected by this convention. In doing so, he said, employers have a duty to respect the dignity of workers, otherwise severe penalties will be applied to them. This convention, he said, restores dignity to workers.

« There is no doubt that this newly adopted Violence and Harassment Convention will act as a protective shield for workers. Without the will to improve things, nothing can be achieved. The country’s decision to be among the first few countries to ratify Convention No. 190 is further entrenched in the boldness of its decision to impose fines and terms of imprisonment four times harsher than for any other offences or infringements of labour legislation in the course of work, » the labour minister said in a speech read by Mariaven Caremben, the minister’s adviser on industrial relations. He stressed that the country’s workers should be proud because Mauritius is one of the first countries that ratified this convention, which took a long time to ratify.

In fact, down memory lane, this process started some 18 years back. The cornerstone for this landmark achievement had been laid as far back as in October 2003, when one of our Government officials participated in an ILO meeting of experts with a view to drafting a « Code of practice on violence and stress in service sectors ». Back then, Mauritius took the bold decision to commit itself that none of its workers should be subjected to any forms of violence at their workplace’, said the Minister of Labour. The ratification of this convention comes at a time when Covid-19 has weakened the world of work. « This ratification comes at a time when we are all facing difficulties and alterations due to Covid-19 pandemic. Millions of workers have been laid-off and the working ecosystem is adjusting itself in the wake of mutations arising. More than ever before, such a legal tool represents a huge leap forward in terms of guaranteeing a safe environment for workers who are our main resource and who contribute immensely to the development of our country, » said the Minister of Labor in the presence of CITU President, Deepak Benydin and Vice President, Radhakrishna Sadien.

Convention 190 recognizes that violence and harassment in the workplace may constitute a violation or infringement of human rights, and that violence and harassment jeopardize equal opportunity and are unacceptable and incompatible with decent work. The convention also recognizes the importance of a work culture based on mutual respect and human dignity in preventing violence and harassment.

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