New integrated labour law coming

Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara this week revealed that a new integrated labour law to encourage foreign investment is due.

Addressing the Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting, Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara stated that steps will be taken to prepare the new integrated labour law to avoid the complexities of the existing labour law. 

Speaking at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour and Foreign Employment Affairs Nanayakkara also said that taking opinions and suggestions of all relevant parties including the public will be started from 2 May to formulate this integrated labour law.

He further pointed out that the country’s industrial law, which is currently scattered and complex, is expected to be converted into an integrated labour law, and it is an essential step to encourage local and foreign investors. Thus, the new consolidated law will facilitate the settlement of disputes between employers and employees. 

The Minister also said that these new laws will facilitate the convenient start and running of business activities, especially for investors coming to Sri Lanka.

The attention of the committee was also paid to businesses that are not registered in the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF). The Minister pointed out that only 80,000 business companies are registered in the Employees Provident Fund. The MPs stressed that immediate action should be taken against unregistered companies. Accordingly, it was decided to inform all divisional secretaries and local government commissioners in writing to send information about businesses registered in different parts of the island to the Ministry of Labour. Also, the Minister instructed the Department of Labour and the Employees’ Provident Fund to submit a plan of possible future actions against such companies within a month.

The Minister instructed the Foreign Employment Bureau to implement a program to educate people about foreign employment. He also mentioned that no special quota has been given to the Members of Parliament regarding the sending of workers to the foreign employments.

The head of the Foreign Employment Bureau said that nearly 90,000 people, including 26,000 unskilled workers and over 60,000 skilled workers, have been sent for foreign jobs recently.

MP Yadamini Gunawardena expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Sri Lanka-Romania Parliamentary Friendship Association for the step taken to establish a Sri Lanka Embassy in Romania to solve the problems of Sri Lankans in Romania.

State Ministers Jagath Pushpakumara, D.B. Herath, MPs Vadivel Suresh, Akila Ellawala, Udayana Kiridigoda, Madhura Withanage, Yadamini Gunawardena, Velu Kumar, Sudarshana Denipitiya were also present in the committee meeting.