Greater Recognition Coming for Household Workers
Public Relations Unit
1F North Street, Kingston
Tel: (876) 967-5484
Fax: (876) 948-2831
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Greater Recognition Coming for Household Workers
Labour and Social Security Minister, Karl Samuda on Wednesday, took another step to formalize the services of Domestic Workers. This as he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Labour Market Information System (LMIS) of the Ministry and the Jamaica Household Workers Union which represents Household Workers.
Minister Karl Samuda is calling on household workers to make use of the training now available through the collaboration between the Union and his Ministry.
“I am encouraging our household workers to utilize the opportunities available through the Jamaica Household Workers Union (JHWU) and the HEART Trust/National Service Training Agency to upgrade their skills and obtain the relevant certification,” Mr. Samuda said.
According to Minister Samuda, they should also seek to train and qualify themselves to use and interact with the technology being provided, as this will not only allow them to excel at their craft, but will also increase their bargaining power in the labour market.
Minister Samuda was speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry’s Labour Market Information System (LMIS) and JHWU at the Ministry’s North Street office in Kingston on Wednesday, October 14.
The objective of this joint partnership is to improve access to the database and the services offered by LMIS to members of the JHWU, as well as to establish a higher degree of formality within the Household Workers Sector.
Under the MOU, LMIS will provide training to Jamaica Household Workers’ Union’s members on how to use their system, in addition to finding suitable candidates for vacancies posted by employers.
On the other hand, JHWU will assist with promoting the LMIS and help find suitable candidates for vacancies received or posted on the LMIS.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Colette Roberts Risden welcomed the move and praised the JHWU for continuously advocating on behalf of one of the most vulnerable and unrecognized group of workers.
“This is a very timely initiative for the tripartite partnership as it has brought all parties together and it is my hope that this is the beginning of many more partnerships to come,” Roberts Risden noted.
Hon. Karl Samuda, Minister of Labour & Social Security (1st right) and Miss Maureen Smith, Executive Member of the Union (center) shows off signed Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry and the Jamaica Household Workers’ Union, as Hon. Zavia Mayne, State Minister in the Ministry, (2nd right), Colette Roberts Risden, Permanent Secretary (1st left) and Miss Joyce Hewitt, Board Chair of the Union (2nd left) look on.
Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
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