Innerarity Dionne Rose & Avia Collinder, Gleaner Writers
The Ministry of Labour has launched an immediate probe into the findings of a study which asserts that women employed in wholesale establishments in downtown Kingston are being made to work in conditions which are in breach of the law.
The study, which was done as a research paper by Ann-Murray Brown for her master's thesis at the University of the West Indies, was released at a workshop in Kingston last week.
Faith Innerarity, chief technical director in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, said the ministry is taking the matter seriously.
"We are treating it urgently and the officers are currently examining the issue, planning the strategies in terms of how the investigations will be conducted," she told The Gleaner yesterday.
Mrs. Innerarity said the ministry conducts random inspections from time to time but this was in relation to the Minimum Wage Act. She said that, for the month of February, 42 stores were inspected and that between March and April, 12 complaints were investigated.
However, she noted that the Factories Act, which addresses issues of occu-pational health and safety, currently limited the inspectors.
"We are currently in the process of examining new legislation in terms of occupation health and safety, which would give the health and safety division broader jurisdiction in terms of places that they visit to examine working conditions," she said.
Complaints of ailments
The research indicates that all of the women were paid minimum wage in all instances, but complained of ailments that they attributed to working long hours and under poor conditions in the wholesales.
Chief among them were swollen legs and varicose veins that occurred after standing for the entire day, while on the job. Sitting is forbidden, and as such, no seats are provided in the wholesales. The study also noted that none of the wholesales have pension or health insurance schemes for workers. Allowances or gratuities were non-existent, the research paper said.
Conducted June to August 2006 and published on April 29, 2007, the study involved the interview of nine women aged 18-25 years. The researcher noted: "There were flagrant disregard and abuse of human rights, such as the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of one's interests and the right to rest and leisure."
Bladder infections were also reported because of constant urine retention. It was explained how bowels and urine were 'held up' for the entire day just to avoid using the 'filthy' bathrooms.
Other violations of Jamaican employment and labour laws and the ILO Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work that were evident included excessive work hours, non-payment of relevant statuary deductions, lack of health and other fringe benefits, inadequate leave entitlements, improper ventilation and sanitary conveniences.
dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com.
