We also asked the minister what's the hold up on the Occupational Safety and Health bill - which stalled in the senate after It was passed in February at the house.
Musa explained the issues raised at the house committee level:
Kareem Musa, Minister of Labour
"So as I understand it this week the OSH bill went to the senate and there was an issue that was raised at the House Committee level. As you know the OSH Bill has gone to stakeholders; it has gone to over a decade of consultations. It is something that the National Trade Union Congress has been pushing and that we in the government support and so I hope that it is only a hiccup. But the issue that is raised is one specific issue that is domestic workers in households. The legislation, as it is currently drafted, covers domestics who work for companies, domestics who work for the government but in terms of enforcing and inspecting households because we are looking now at domestics working in households it was discussed, and like I said all the consultations that it might have been something very difficult, we are not against reviewing at all if it is a position after hearing all the facts and hearing all the deliberations that the senators believe should be made in amendment they have the power to make that amendment and propose it to us. But at the time was considered when the final draft was made it seemed a bit unreasonable that every single household can be inspected. In terms of domestics there will still be the requirements in terms of protecting domestics who work in households but to include it in the law as one of the inspection sites for all the labor officers it is a lot."
