Information for Labour Law compliance: Can better information improve labor Justice?

1. Information for Labour Law compliance:Can better information improve labor Justice? Paper presented at Wage Indicator Regional Meeting in Maputo Mozambique Tamala Nakulela Nalwamba October 2011

2. Definition “Information” • Data that , • has been verified to be accurate and timely, • is specific and organised for a purpose, • is presented within a context that gives it meaning and relevance, and • that can lead to an increase in understanding and decrease in uncertainty.

3. Definition “Labour ” • Labour - a social class comprising those who do manual labour or work for wages; • The aggregate of all human physical and mental effort used in creation of goods and services; • Labour is a primary factor of production.

4. Definition “Justice” • pertains directly or indirectly to the concept of balance, that people obtain what is fair, right and appropriate to what they carry out or do. It pertains to the principle of fairness that like cases should be treated alike. Justice may be also perceived as referring to the principle of equity and moral rightness, to the upholding of what is just and fair, in accordance with the prescribed and accepted law or standards. • the qualityofbeingjust;righteousness,equitableness, or moralrightness:toupholdthejusticeofacause. • themoralprincipledeterminingjustconduct. • the administeringofdeservedpunishmentorreward

5. Information for Labour Law compliance: Can better information improve labor Justice? • Which information! • Why information on labour justice! • Why labour justice!

6. Which information • Information for Labour Law Compliance. • Legislation administered by Zambia • Employment Act Cap 268 • Employment Act (Special Provisions) Cap 270 • Industrial and Labour Relations Act Cap 269 • Employment of Young Persons Act Cap274 • Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment Act Cap 276 • Factories Act Cap 441 • National Pensions Scheme Authority Act and Workers’ Compensation Act.

7. Information for Labour Law compliance: Can better information improve labor Justice? • How the information, labour and justices relate to each other in response to the above? • There is little Information i.e. (policy and procedure)leading to misinformed labour force hence poor labour justice and no law compliance in some instances. • Labour force has missing or no information on policy and procedure on labour law compliance • Justice; most cases have no justness of ground or reason to complain with justice by both the complainant and the plentiful.

8. Conclusion: Can better Information improve LabourJustic e • Better Information can help meet the needs of users (implementers) and clients (general public). • Better information can help us(department) improve on our service delivery to the public. • Information that helps people avoid problems in the first place can help reduce the demand on advice services and the justice system. Similarly, information that encourages people to take action earlier will stop problems escalating, reduce the complexity of problems taken to advice agencies, and ease the load on tribunals and courts.

9. Can better Information improve Labour Justice • Where better information increases people’s capacity to deal with problems effectively, it will help more capable individuals achieve satisfactory outcomes themselves, and help everyone use advice and support services more efficiently.

10. Can better Information improve Labour Justice? • Good information can promote an organisation and its services. Many organisations, both government bodies and those in the independent sector, would benefit from increasing their profile and improving public understanding of the services they provide. • Better information about process and procedures, such as how to access and use services like courts and tribunals, will reduce pressure on staff and lead to greater efficiency and reduced costs for organisations.

11. Can better Information improve Labour Justice? • The means of delivery is a key part of the strategy for better information. The dissemination of the information can take up as much as half of the total cost of an information project, so it must be planned in from the start. • Can better information improve Labour Justice? • Yes! if it is distributed as a part of, or in conjunction with, a user-facing service. These can be advice services, helplines, and other types of community-based organisations or campaigns.