The occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) continues to suffer from major gaps in its legal and institutional framework to protect workers and ensure sound labour market governance. The oPt continues to face the challenge of pursuing good governance, respect for the rule of law, as well as in particular the development of strong, independent and widely-respected institutions that are essential to support its transition to statehood. Based on past interventions in this area and consultations with its tripartite constituents, this ILO project will address these challenges by developing and improving the labour market’s legislative framework, as well as promoting effective institutions and processes required for substantive and inclusive social dialogue.

The two-year project is also aligned with the national priorities stipulated in the oPt’s National Development Plan 2011-2013 and the Labour Sector Strategy of the Ministry of Labour (MOL). The direct recipients of this project will be officials at the MOL, members of the Palestinian Legislative Committee, the judiciary, as well as workers’ and employers’ representatives.

Objectives

• Revise the legal framework for labour market regulation; and
• strengthen social dialogue institutions in line with international labour standards.

Main Activities

• Assess the industrial relations environment, the current system of dispute resolution, and existing laws to bring them in line with international labour standards and provide the framework for labour law reform;
• support the Ministry of Labour to advocate for the adoption of the reforms by cabinet;
• support the establishment of a tripartite committee to ensure effective participation in, and ownership of legislative reforms;
• implement training activities and on-the-job technical support for members of the tripartite technical committee to enable them to contribute to the process of labour law reform;
• prepare an assessment of awareness-raising and training needs on the content of the new laws;
• conduct training of trainers sessions for Ministry officials, workers and employers on revised provisions of the labour law;
• support the Ministry of Labour to develop a public awareness-raising campaign through electronic and print media;
• develop an occupational health and safety (OHS) strategy for the oPt and increase OHS capacity among social partners; and
• conduct conciliation and mediation of labour disputes as well as union management/negotiation skills training sessions for employers and workers in selected enterprises and sectors.

Outcomes

• Produce a new labour market legislative framework that is drafted and discussed with the tripartite constituents;
• raise awareness to support the implementation of revised labour laws prepared and implemented in consultation with the tripartite constituents;
• establish a dynamic tripartite social dialogue environment through the labour law reform;
• improve social dialogue mechanisms at the enterprise level through implementing pilot programmes in selected sectors; and
• improve systems to promote good occupational health and safety outcomes at the national level.