The adoption of labor inspection reform has been suspended for unknown reasons. The Fair Labor Platform calls on the Parliament of Georgia to review the reform and ensure its adoption in proper time.
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The Parliament of Georgia has already supported the labor inspection reform in the first reading introduced in the spring of 2020. Legislative changes were substantially approved by the Healthcare and Social Issues Committee, however, the discussion of the bill in the second reading at the plenary session has not been held so far and has been suspended for unknown reasons and terms.
We would like to point out that the proposed changes significantly strengthen the mandate of the Labor Inspection, which will improve the state supervisory mechanism of workers' rights and safety. As of today, the limited mandate of the Labor Inspection fails to prevent injuries and death in the workplace and to adequate protection of labor rights. In addition, the reduced authority of the inspection is in conflict with international obligations undertaken by Georgia.
We would like to remind the public that the current parliament has only a few plenary sessions left before the October parliamentary elections and the failure of the adoption of legislative changes before the elections means the actual failure of the reform. The failure of the reform will leave the employees without proper protection mechanisms; at the same time, it will negatively affect foreign and international trade relations of Georgia.
We call on the Parliament of Georgia to resume immediately plenary discussions on labor reform and to ensure the establishment of effective labor inspection in the country that for more than a decade, has been in demand by employees, trade unions, local and international human rights organizations.
Fair Labor Platform
Signatory organizations:
The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC)
Georgian Young Lawyers' Association
Solidarity Network
Social worker's Union
Labor Union of Public Broadcaster
Open Society Georgia Foundation