HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 220951,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/220951/?format=api",
"text_counter": 207,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Kulundu",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 295,
"legal_name": "Newton Wanjala Kulundu",
"slug": "newton-kulundu"
},
"content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Labour Institutions Bill be read a Second Time. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill establishes labour institutions, their functions, powers and duties. The Memorandum of Objects and Reasons for The Labour Institutions Bill are as follows: The principal object of this Bill is to establish institutions involved in the administration and management of labour relations. These are the National Labour Board, the National Labour Court, the Subordinate Labour Court, the Committee of Inquiry, the Wages Council, the Labour Department, the Employment Department and the Employment Agency. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Part I contains preliminary matters which include the general interpretation and application clauses. Under Clause 4, it is proposed that the Act shall not apply to the Armed Forces, the Kenya Police, the Kenya Prisons Service, the Administration Police and the National Youth Service. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Part II establishes the National Labour Board which will be appointed by the Minister and will have representatives of trade unions, employers' organisations and the Government. The Board will advise the Minister on all policy issues relating to labour and employment. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Part III establishes the National Labour Court which will replace the Industrial Court. The National Labour Court will be established at the same level as the High Court, but not as a division of the High Court, due to the specialised nature of the disputes it will handle. Part IV establishes the Subordinate Labour Courts. Some magistrate courts will be designated Subordinate Labour Courts. Part V establishes a Committee of Inquiry which may be appointed by the Minister to inquire into any matters which appear to the Minister to be connected to a trade dispute. Part VI establishes the offices of the Labour Commission and the Director of Employment. It empowers the Labour Commissioner to conduct inspections under the Act. Part VII provides for the establishment of the Wages Council to advise the Minister on the fixing of minimum wages and terms and conditions of service for various sectors of the economy. Part VIII regulates the operations of the Employment Agency. The operations of employment agencies or placement agencies are currently conducted without formal control. The Bill requires all employment agencies to be registered by the Director of Employment. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Part IX contains miscellaneous provisions which include a provision to repeal the regulations of the Wages and Conditions of Employment Act, Cap.229. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the following are the benefits of The Labour Institutions Bill: The Labour Institutions Bill establishes a new and single Act; the Labour Institutions Bill, to deal with administrative issues in labour relations. This leaves the rest of the labour statutes to concentrate on the rights and obligations of the social partners as procedural and operation aspects of labour management. Secondly, the Labour Institutions Bill establishes and strengthens institutions involved in the administration and management of labour relations. These are, the National Labour Board; the National Labour Court; the Subordinate Labour Courts; the Rules Board for the National Labour Court and the Subordinate Labour Courts; Committee of Inquiry; Wages Council; Labour 1450 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES May 17, 2007 Department; Employment Department and Employment Agency. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the new provision on employment agencies will regulate their operations and protect Kenyans who seek employment locally and abroad from exploitation. The technical department of labour will be strengthened and empowered to ensure efficient service delivery in terms of enforcement, gathering and dissemination of labour market information. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, under the Labour Institutions Bill, the Judges of the National Labour Court, which replaces the current Industrial Court, will have Puisne Judges. The establishment of Subordinate Labour Courts will facilitate quick settlement of the many trade union disputes that often delay in the Ministry and the Industrial Court otherwise now named the National Labour Court. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those remarks, I beg to move the Labour Institutions Bill of 2007, and request the Assistant Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, hon. Mungatana to second it."
}