NA debates foreign labourers

(VT) The focus of the debates on the 22 and 25 December 26, 2006 sittings was on stricter monitoring and management of foreign labourers working in Laos.

An NA Member from Xekong province, Mr Phonephet Khewlavong, said that many foreigners came to Laos to trade and work in construction projects.

“If we don't have measures to manage them, local traders will be hurt and end up as the servants of those traders from neighbouring countries,” he said. “The current management of foreign labourers is complicated, so we should find some methods to address the issue.”

National Assembly members vigorously debated the role of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare in monitoring and managing foreign labourers. Many agreed that the degree of policy implementation carried out by the ministry in the past was not sufficient to be effective.

A ministry official said that over 23,000 foreign labourers were registered by his ministry, from the year 2000 to 2005. In 2004-2005, around 3,000 to 4,000 labourers were found coming to Laos to work illegally, without permits. He added that some ostensibly came as travellers and others came to visit relatives, but then continued living and working in Laos.

Some members said that the arrival of foreign labourers would create more unemployment for local people, increasing their poverty. Many agreed that it was necessary to preserve jobs for the locals.

Some NA members also advanced new ideas on the previously discussed issue of the extension of workers' maximum overtime from 30 to 45 or even 60 hours each month.

Savannakhet province NA Member, Dr Koukeo Akkhamonti, said that extending the limit to 45 hours per week is appropriate, because work even longer hours would negatively affect their health.

Vientiane NA Member, Mr Somphien Xayadeth, disagreed with the idea. He said the economy of Laos is growing and that he wants workers to produce more for export. He remarked that, “60 hours of overtime a month is not a lot as it is equals only 3 extra hours each day.”

However, the majority of the members agreed that the discussed amendments to the law will provide an important legal instrument to manage foreign labourers and protect the interest of local workers.

They said that children aged 14 to 18 too can work two more hours a day, extending the maximum for these young workers from six hours to eight hours a day. However, at this age, it is still forbidden to work too heavily or in factory environments that involve chemicals, as this will affect their health and could stunt their growth.

Pregnant women will also need to be provided with appropriate time to rest, in particular those working in factories, because chemical substances present in the factories could have negative consequences for their unborn children.

It was universally agreed that the development of the skills of Lao workers needs to be accelerated by supporting more vocational schools in the provinces, with subjects focused on agricultural production and other subjects that are appropriate for the reality of employment in the country.