The Ministry of Labour last year recovered more than $11M on employees’ behalf following unscheduled checks at workplaces countrywide, which also revealed a number of labour law breaches by employers.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, inspections were conducted as part of a survey aimed at ensuring workers’ safety and that management was upholding good labour practices.

During the survey, the release said, Chief Labour Officer Mohammed Akeel received more than 560 complaints from employees and these were dealt with, while 404 inspections were completed.

GINA said Akeel revealed that 214 labour breaches were observed and employers were advised and the majority of them were rectified. Additionally, 74 requests for conciliation were received by the ministry and 57 of those have concluded.

According to the release, 18 employers were prosecuted for a total of 35 breaches and 17 cases involving 11 employers were concluded, as part of the ministry’s efforts to protect the working class from exploitation.

It stated too that in the area of strikes, of the 203 reported 201 were in the sugar industry resulting in 17,515 man days and in excess of $203 million being lost.

In 2006, the ministry signed 36 collective agreements with several labour organisations.

Amendments to eight pieces of labour legislation have also been sent to the National Assembly by the ministry, which also held 12 seminars for employers and employees during the year in which more that 140 persons participated.

GINA said the ministry was also able to complete 13 reports requested by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on ratified conventions, along with two reports on unratified conventions.