LISA is in town
Ishara Jayawardane
The department of labour launched its computerised system for labour
inspection called ‘Labour Inspection Systems Application’ (LISA)
recently. This is the first of its kind for the whole of South Asia. It
will pave the way for innovativeness and productivity and further
strengthen the capacity of the of the ministry to implement ILO
conventions on labour inspection.
Decent and productive work
“The international labour organisation seeks the promotion of social
justice and fundamental principles and rights since its inception in
1919. The Primary goal of the ILO today is to promote opportunities for
women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of
freedom, equity, security and human dignity,” said ILO Country Director
for Sri Lanka and the Maldives,Donglin Li
The Computerised Labour Inspection system is a powerful tool for
improving coordination between labour administration institutions spread
across the country in 56 labour department offices. The system creates a
“Virtual workspace” where staff can coordinate their activities,
exchange information and collaborate with one another in a way not
possible before, due to separation by Geography and organisational
silos.
The Labour inspection software has fully automated the on site
inspection process, improving the collection and analysis of labour
market and inspection data, thus strengthening the basis for policy
development, programming and evaluation at the department. Inspection
schedules are now automated, enabling the department to automatically
generate duty rosters of hundreds of inspection staff, thereby leading
to increases in efficiency and productivity.
Sri Lanka at forefront
Sri Lanka became a member of the ILO in 1948, immediately after its
independence. It has ratified 40 ILO conventions out of the total 189
International labour conventions. Sri Lanka was the first country in the
region to ratify all eight “core” conventions of the ILO. Sri Lanka has
been at the forefront of policy development, based on international
standards and norms which has been showcased in many a forum across the
region and beyond.
” The ILO interventions are premised upon four strategic objectives.
1) Promoting international labour standards and fundamental principles
and rights at work 2) Creating greater opportunities for women and men
to secure decent employment 3) Enhancing coverage and effectiveness of
social protection for all and 4) Strengthening the relationship between
workers, employers and governments and encouraging social dialogue. The
Unique tripartite structure of the ILO distinguishes it approach within
the UN system in that Governments, Employers and Workers act as equal
partners in the ILO decision making process.”
The Labour Administration is one of the most fundamental aspects in
pursuance of sound and harmonious management of industrial relations.
Based on this the convention governing labour inspection, ILO convention
81, is simply known as a priority convention. It will require all member
states to ratify and implement this priority convention. The first
congress of the international association for the legal protection of
workers resolved on the need to adopt an international agreement on
labour inspection. The 1919 ILO Constitution specified that each member
state “must organise a labour inspection service in order to guarantee
compliance with laws and regulations that protect workers.”
Improving labour conditions
“That is why today well into the 21st century; labour inspection is
still considered a matter of general interest. With proactive labour
inspection reporting and monitoring, it is possible to avoid conflicts
at the source and solve labour problems. At times an inspection system
may deliver a sanction based on its own judgment, making its actions
more effective.”
“It is a wonderful day to be able to be here with you. To witness
this very important milestone. We are very proud to be a partner with
the ILO and the government of Sri Lanka Ministry of Labour in the launch
of the ‘Labour Inspection Systems Application.’
Why is this important? The US government and the US Department of
Labour looks at opportunities to provide grants around the world to help
ensure that all workers are treated fairly and are able to share the
benefits of the global economy. So my colleagues at the US state
department and the US department of Labour back in Washington worked for
quite some time to focus our attention at opportunities here in Sri
Lanka to improve worker conditions- labour conditions. Back home in the
United States it took decades of struggle for working people to organise
into unions for the protection of their rights and the advancement of
dignity in the workplace, and the US government supports these efforts
both at home and abroad. Because it is very clear to us that respecting
and protecting the rights of workers leads to positive long term
economic growth. It just makes sense.
This has a ripple effect throughout the economy. Inequality declines
while economic mobility increases. In the United States we have a deep
seated belief that labour rights are human rights. Worker rights are
very important. We know that the labor movements strengthens nations by
raising living standards creating markets for industry, lifting entire
nations to higher levels of production,” said Ambassador Michele J Sison |
