The novel coronavirus pandemic has had detrimental effects on the global economy, however for countries like Jamaica it further exposed certain vulnerabilities as it relates to the labour market and the inadequacy of the current labour laws, according to Danny Roberts, head of Hugh Shearer Labour Studies Institute at The University of the West Indies Open Campus.

Speaking at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) annual Labour Market Forum held recently, Roberts indicated that the health crisis directly impacted persons whose livelihood is dependent on the physical proximity of public spaces, the informal workers who have no statutory provisions and are not protected by labour laws, and regular wage earners.

He added that in the context of a post-COVID-19 recovery, this poses as an opportunity for the country to identify the issues that are profoundly important in the development of human capital and, by extension, the economy, and make the necessary changes.

“To achieve this goal [Jamaica’s] weak employment protective legislations must be strengthened, inadequate social protection must be addressed, income and jobs must be protected, and social policies should support legislative changes to accelerate productivity improvement and economic growth to reverse the effects of the crisis,” Roberts said.

“The focus should be on introducing unemployment insurance, guaranteeing workers a liveable wage and providing statutory protection for domestic workers, contract workers and other vulnerable groups in the labour market,” he continued.

According to him, supporting social policies with the emphasis on productivity improvement will enable structures that will be in place to help drive the process towards sustainable economic development and growth.

“The financial crisis of 2008 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognised that the acceleration to sustainable and inclusive economic growth revolve around the concept of decent work,” he said.

Decent work, as defined by the International Labour Organisation, refers to putting money in the pockets of individuals and families so they can spend in the economy. Their purchasing power fuels the growth and development of sustainable enterprises, especially small businesses, which in turn can hire more workers and improve their pay and conditions, as well as adding to governments’ tax revenues.

Roberts further indicated that a number of legislations in Jamaica have to be reviewed, such as the Employment Termination and Redundancy Payment Act, Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act, Labour Relations Code, Occupational Safety and Health, Maternity Leave Act, and National Minimum Wage Act.

He, however, noted that, “These are critically important — by no means an exhausted list —but they point to the very core issues which we have to take on board if we’re going to begin to look at recovery in a post-COVID-19 era”.