Swearing in of Members of the National Labour Council and Labour Arbitration Council
The Minister of State, Coordinator of State Administration Affairs and Justice and Minister of State Administration, currently also acting Minister of MECAE, Dionisio Babo Soares, swore in the members of the National Labour Council and the Labour Arbitration Council, in the Hall of the State Secretariat for Employment Policy and Vocational Training (SEPFOPE) in Caicoli, Dili, on January 26th, 2017.
The Minister of State said that, in a democratic country the machine of the State and the private sector are partners who work in association regarding labour relations. In these relationships, conflicts of interest, challenges and various problems arise, whose resolution has to be regulated. “In our nation, Duty and Responsibility are two important aspects to create good relations, ensure work and provide good services to the people”, he noted.
The swearing in ceremony was a result the Decree of the Minister of State, Coordinator of Economic Affairs and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (No 1405/MECAE/X/2016), which appoints the members of the National Labour Council, and the Order of the the Secretary of State for Employment Policy and Vocational Training, which appoints the members of the Labour Arbitration Council.
The intervention of the National Labour Council is justified by several issues raised by labour relations in everyday life. The Labour Arbitration Council has already created a process for technical training, particularly in relation to accidents at work, social insurance and retirement, among others.
The Minister of State explained that the Labour Arbitration Council has an essential role in helping those in dispute, to solve the problems connected with work activities, many of which are of civil nature. The parties in conflict have to agree with the decisions. To be applicable, in the first instance these decisions need to have the approval of a court; moreover the intervention of the Arbitration Council is cheap, simple and fast.
The President of the National Labour Council, the current Secretary of State for Employment Policy and Vocational Training, Ilídio Ximenes da Costa, stated that SEPFOPE took another step with this initiative. According to the law, this type of intervention has already existed for some years, to monitor the implementation of labour laws and minimum wage. The Secretary of State expressed his satisfaction with the presence of the members of Government at the ceremony, “as it strengthens and gives confidence to our intervention, in the implementation of labour laws.”
The Vice Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications, Januário da Costa Pereira, the Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Maria Terezinha Viegas, the Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers, Avelino Coelho da Silva, as well as the Directors and Heads of Department of SEPFOPE were also present at the swearing in ceremony.
