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Labour Tribunals to get MC-like powers

12 Mar 2021

The Department of Labour would be introducing legislation to grant powers akin to those granted to the Magistrate’s Courts to Labour Tribunals, with a view to expedite cases relating to the job security of private sector employees. Speaking to The Morning, Commissioner General of Labour Prabath Chandrakeerthi said that these new implementations are in the final discussions stages with the Ministry of Justice. Currently, 39 Labour Tribunals operate in 18 Districts, under the provisions granted to them by Section 31(b) of the Industrial Disputes Act, No.62 of 1957. In this regard, Chandrakeerthi also said that amendments would be introduced to allow employees seeking the help of Labour Tribunals to be represented by any party they wish, as opposed to only by lawyers or trade union representatives. In January this year, four key amendments were introduced to four different Acts relating to the labour laws in Sri Lanka, namely the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children (Amendment) Act, the Factories (Amendment) Act, the Minimum Wages (Indian Labour) (Amendment) Act, and the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) (Amendment) Act.  


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