By Yiep Joseph
On International Labour Day, Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, has urged the government to safeguard the rights of workers in the country.
International Labour Day, celebrated on May 1st, honours workers’ rights and the global labour movement. It highlights the importance of fair treatment, safe working conditions, and social justice for all workers.
Yakani stated that honoring Labor Day must include a genuine consideration for and respect for workers’ rights.
The activist called upon the government to ensure the payment of all outstanding salary arrears for the national workforce, emphasizing that this constitutes the primary fulfillment of labor rights.
“One of the responsibilities required of our government is to honor and respect labor rights through the regular payment of salaries to all workers, including clearing all pending salary arrears from 2024,” Yakani stated.
To date, government has not cleared salary arrears for 2024 have and the possibility remains uncertain despite numerous promises from leaders.
The activist further called on the government to intensify its efforts in protecting labor rights across the nation.
“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to the leadership of our country to ensure that all labor rights of South Sudanese laborers in their various capacities are respected,” he said.
He also urged the government to ensure that workers are compensated adequately to afford essential services.
“Salaries must be sufficient to enable them to access social services because laborers work to earn a return that helps them support their families,” he explained.
In his International Labor Day message, which this outlet reviewed, President Kiir acknowledged the challenges facing workers in the country and affirmed the government’s commitment to addressing them.
“The government acknowledges the challenges you endure, and I assure you that we remain committed to improving your working conditions, ensuring timely salary payments, and implementing sustainable reforms to uplift the public,” Kiir stated in the message.
The Ministry of Finance, in a released circular, announced that it has commenced the process of preparing and disbursing salaries to all spending agencies at the national, state, and administrative area levels.
Labor rights encompass: freedom of association and the recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced labor; the abolition of child labor; the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation; and the provision of a safe and healthy working environment.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has established five fundamental principles and rights at work: freedom of association and the recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced labor; and the abolition of child labor.