A recent gap analysis has revealed significant shortcomings in the country’s employment and labour relations legal framework, prompting calls for a comprehensive review.
The analysis, conducted by Gopa Worldwide Consultants, was commissioned by the Ministry of Labour with financial and technical support from the European Union (EU)-funded Zantchito Skills for Jobs Programme.
The programme is undertaking a labour law review exercise to align the country’s labour laws with International Labour Organisation (ILO)’s standards.
This came out during a labour laws review consultative workshop in Blantyre, yesterday.
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Among other things the gap analysis identified that many sections of the current law fall short in areas such as conditions of employment, protection of employee rights, and dispute resolution procedures.
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Gopa Senior non-key expert Rodgers Matsikidze said one of the key recommendations emerging from the study is the consolidation of the Employment and Labour Relations acts.
“There is also a need to create a legal framework that would allow each sector to have its own regulations governing employment conditions while operating under the umbrella of a consolidated Employment and Labour Act,” Matsikidze said.
Employers Consultative Association of Malawi Executive Director George Khaki said there is a need for comprehensive reviews.
“On compensation, we are working with the government; at the moment we are very concerned with the slow pace at which the government is operationalising the workers compensation fund. I think that would be supported if this was with haste,” Khaki said.
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He added that the association is also in talks with the Reserve Bank of Malawi and the Ministry of Finance towards creating awareness on provisions of the pension law.
