Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2021, published 110th ILC session (2022)

Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention, 1928 (No. 26) - Lesotho (Ratification: 1966)

Follow-up to the recommendations of the tripartite committee (representation made under article 24 of the ILO Constitution)

The Committee notes that in November 2020, the Governing Body approved the report of the tripartite committee set up to examine the representation submitted by the United Textile Employees (UNITE), the National Clothing Textile and Allied Workers Union (NACTWU) and the Lentsoe La Sechaba (LSWU), under article 24 of the ILO Constitution (GB.340/INS/18/8). Noting that the representation concerned the issue of consultations with workers’ representatives and their effective association in the operation of the minimum wage-fixing machinery, the Committee will examine the follow-up given to the recommendations of the tripartite committee under Article 3 below.

Article 3 of the Convention. Operation of the minimum wage-fixing machinery. Consultation of employers’ and workers’ organizations. In its previous comment, the Committee requested the Government to provide detailed information on the process which will lead to the next revisions of the minimum wage rates, including on the consultations. The Committee also notes that the Governing Body in its decision on the representation invited the parties to avail themselves of ILO technical assistance with a view to further supporting the participation of the social partners in, and the effective functioning of, the minimum wage-fixing machinery in the country. In this respect, the Committee notes that the Government indicates in its report that: (i) new members have been appointed to the Wages Advisory Board (WAB), following the expiry of the former mandate, and that they will be trained in the exercise of their functions regarding the minimum wage-fixing and the rules and procedures of the WAB; (ii) ILO technical assistance has been sought in this regard; (iii) although the WAB aborted the process of revising the minimum wage rates in 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19, they were finally revised in 2021; and (iv) negotiations on the revision of the minimum wage rates are expected to begin by November 2021. In this context, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the process of revision of the minimum wage rates and on the consultations held in this regard, including on the results of the training provided to the new members of the WAB. The Committee hopes that in this framework, the Government will be able to further avail itself of ILO technical assistance to support the social dialogue process on minimum wage-fixing in the country.