By Amin Kef Sesay
Kobi Walker, Chairman of the Sierra Leone Employers Federation and Jennings Wright President of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress together with other Executive members of both organizations have highlighted the plight and conditions of workers in Sierra Leone during this crucial period when the coronavirus is causing serious economic dislocations amidst rising prices. Championing the interests of workers in the co untry, both organizations have proffered certain recommendations and other development partners as to certain measures to be instituted in order to cushion the daunting effects of the outbreak of the virus in the country.
It could be recalled that on the 11th March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID 19 as a pandemic that transcends from China to the rest of the world. The latest estimates of people infected all over the world continues to be very alarming.
In addition, the virus has also brought life to a standstill across many countries the world over.
A large number of countries have closed their air space, land and sea borders and have also put measures in place to lockdown their countries thereby introducing restrictions on movements, work and other outdoor activities. This is one aspect that the Government, Employers’ and Workers’ organizations are focusing on and especially how businesses should adapt work practices to comply with health protocols, measures and etiquettes.
Most importantly however, is how all parties, Government, employers and workers can work together to minimize the impacts of this pandemic on the economy, employers, workers and the society at large.
Developed countries have set aside substantial amounts to support employers and workers who will be adversely affected as a result of the pandemic on the one hand and the lockdown imposed by their Governments on the other.
Some African countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda, Guinea, etc have put measures in place to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on businesses and workers. Emerging markets are experiencing a contraction as necessary containment measures take their toll, and there is reduced global demand for their exports, tourism, commodities and manufactured goods – that provide critical streams of foreign exchange.
In light of this new phenomenon, the Sierra Leone Employers Federation and the Sierra Leone Labour Congress requested the Government to set up a national-level committee comprising private sector representatives along with other key stakeholders such as trade unions, academics, scientists and community groups along with related Ministries including the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to deal with the economic and social fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through collaboration between the Government, workers and employers organizations on finding ways to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic, the two labour organizations strongly believe that the economic and social crises created by COVID-19 can be overcome.
Both umbrella bodies are aware that Government has already set up a committee to respond to the adverse effects of the outbreak of COVID-19. They, however, recommended that it be expanded to include the additional Entities/Organizations mentioned above.
They further recommended that Government takes the following under mentioned measures; some of which it has taken already:
Support the import and export of medical equipment and medicines and request that Government encourages manufacturers to produce Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) locally provided they meet international standards. In that regard, G. Shankerdas & Sons is already exploring the production of Hand Sanitizers using local materials.
They suggested that Government should encourage Companies and Enterprises to release staff that have the technical know-how and are willing to be volunteers to assist in contact tracing or otherwise measures should be taken to ensure essential workers especially those in the health sector and other frontline sectors to work during periods of restrictions on movement.
That Government should provide appropriate PPEs to Health Care Providers particularly frontline workers as well provide incentives which will serve as motivation for the frontline workers. They highlighted that Companies and Enterprises can support and reinforce public health measures such as, reviewing safety precautions for workers continuing to work in light of social distancing measures.
According to them ,the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation should collaborate in promoting the safety and health of workers during the outbreak and that Government should also intensify sensitization of the general populace with a view of curtailing the spread of the virus.
With regards measures to support workers they suggested that Companies and Enterprises should ensure that guidance on social distancing measures must be enhanced to help avoid unnecessary gatherings, while preserving the delivery of essential services and supply chains, discourage face-to-face meetings and replacing it with video links, teleconferencing, reduce the sitting capacities in staff canteens and scheduling staff to have their meals.
The Sierra Leone Employers Federation and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security further suggested that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security should be supported to carry out Labour inspections at workplaces to ensure adherence to the COVID-19 measures.
They added that Government should provide supplementary funds for State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) severely hit by the COVID-19 such as Sierra Leone Airport Authority, as a result of the ban on all passenger flights and SALPOST whose main source of revenue has been courier services, in order to meet their operational cost, such as workers’ salaries.
Additionally, special national ‘COVID-19 Fund” needs to be established to enable contributions from development partners, donors, philanthropists, the private sector and private citizens to support the above measures.
They also stated how Government through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security should work collaboratively with Employers and Workers Organisation in order to ensure that workers maintain their jobs.
Indeed, so far both the Employers’ Federation and Labour Congress have been working assiduously and engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure that the disadvantageous plight of workers caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus be properly addressed in order to cushion the dire effects and dislocations that continue to materialize.
