JAMONOMICS

Apparently Jamaica has problem with child labour and the indiscriminately enforcing International Labour Laws in the workforce. Now I don’t expect you know all these laws, but in your experience, do you believe Jamaica to have a serious problem with treating the workforce fair? And do children in Jamaica work too much?

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The International Labour Organization has recently released a damning report on labour conditions in the island. According to the Observer in the report several concerns were mentioned including
• Restrictions on the right to collective bargaining and the right to strike,
• Sexual harassment
• The existence of gender bias in the workplace.
• Wage differences between both sexes, particularly in the top end of the labour market.

Research of the ICFTU says that 4% of children between five and seventeen were involved in some form of economic activity including begging. Also it was found in 2000 that girls under the age of 11 were soliciting sex.

The ministry responded by acknowledging that there is a problem, but the research grossly exaggerated many of their stated problems and that Jamaica is not even on the radar in terms of violations of International Labour Standards.

Observer Article