Thanks Observer for bringing this up. On our side, I would have to suggest the Bruneian government strengthen labour policies to protect those who enter the private sector. Currently labour laws in Brunei do not protect private sector employees, and the ILO's Core Labour Standards such as collective bargaining and freedom of association is curbed by Brunei's Emergency laws.
We'll leave it to people to add in their comments. Suffice to say, more needs to be done in the private sector to actually promote it as a employment sector of choice. At this point in time, employees in the private sector are at the mercy of their employers as labour laws are designed in favour of employers. You're fine if you work for the big multinationals as they have their own core set of principles and standards, but go work for any local private sector companies, and you're on your own.
For more info on the ILO and the Core Standards, click here
3 comments:
You are absolutely right on all accounts, Mr. Red! My major concern for most jobseekers, particularly those with at least 'O' Level qualifications and/or Ordinary National Diploma (what more those with higher academic credentials) is that they deserve a minimum wage (entry level starting salary scale) of $30 per day or $500 per month. Better still a monthly pay $700 given the current increasing cost of living.
Recently, I was so aghast with the fact that a certain 'manipulative' tour agency 'slaved' a group of young Bruneians to help conduct its thriving business by paying them only a meagre BND15 each! And these youths had to start work from 7:00 am until 6:00 pm (with only "Nasi Katok" lunch break). Now that is real highway robbery!
I know for a fact that the going rate for a tour coordinator or guide is BND100 per day (excluding tips in USD, most probably).
Mohammad, there are unfortunately many more accounts of these types of mistreatment of our local workforce. Our Labour laws and the various enforcement agencies simply aren't designed with the capacity to deal with them effectively. Perhaps this is a reflection of how important (or perhaps unimportant) they may view this issue. What can we do as a society to stop this? Perhaps a stronger independent enforcement agency that are staffed with sufficient number of highly qualified and committed individuals who will ensure protection of the workforce, both local and expatriate? But given that now SMEs face a host of problems simply to struggle to survive, putting in such an enforcement body would probably trigger a flood of complaints that the government has stepped in only to make their life more difficult. Too much of a fine line, but one which we need to address as part o our private sector development initiative.
Just a guess, but isn't the enforcement agency supposed to be the Labour Department. If it is then their role needs to be enhanced.
I do agree that it would be likely that we would get a slew of complaints from SME's who may say the Government is being heavy handed but I doubt these are the ones that are performing well. But there has to be a balance somewhere for our local labour force. There has to be some social responsibility factored in.
SME's have overheads, utility bills, costs of services and goods supplied to them in relation to their business etc and like it or not whatever the price they have to pay. They may grumble but they still pay or find a way to pass on the cost to the customer. But thats understandable.
If SME's can factor in the price of other goods and services, the question is what is the price of the livelihood of one local Bruneian. How does the Government and the SME value them ? Apply equal mandatory obligations on all SME's across the board and we get an equal playing field, SME's that don't want to play by the rules or can't afford to can just bow out.But what do we get at the end? Better quality SME's minus the ones that shouldnt be there in the first place and the start of a quality workforce and quality employment sector. I'm sure some sort of working paper can be worked out.
I do however applaud the drive to find employment for the unemployed but I think the monitoring should go on even after they have signed the dotted line and the Government should get more involved.
I note that some of the core principles of the ILO such as collective bargaining and freedom of association are curbed by our emergency laws but there are some which can be implemented such as minimum wage and health and safety (which if I'm correct encompasses proper training and welfare)and probably weekly working times. A step by step implementation plan should be in order to give SME's time to adjust.
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