Joint Press Release Regarding the Public Sector Modernization Plan and the Proposal to Abolish the Ministry of Labor

Issued by a group of civil society organizations and research centers

In light of the announced outputs of the Public Sector Development Committee, which included proposals to merge some ministries, abolish the Ministry of Labor, and transfer its tasks and roles to a number of ministries, we express our surprise and disapproval of this trend, which we see as unstudied in terms of its effects on the labor market and on the parties involved in labor, and which does not take into account the principles and objectives of the existence of labor ministries and their roles in serving the issues of the labor market and the parties involved in production and maintaining social peace, and which is incompatible with the approach of social dialogue and partnership that brings together workers and employers with the government, and which expresses a change in the directions and choices of economic policies towards marginalizing and weakening the social protection system.

We therefore warn against adopting this approach, which involves dispersing the Ministry's responsibilities among several official bodies. This will lead to chaos in labor market programs, policies, and data, and will weaken the ability of government agencies to fulfill their obligations in regulating the labor market, ensuring necessary protections for all parties involved in employment, and achieving decent working conditions. We also warn against the government's current approach, which focuses on encouraging investment and stimulating economic growth by weakening working conditions and social protections. This approach has been clearly evident over the past three years and continues to this day, as demonstrated by the regressive amendments made to the Labor and Social Security Laws. This choice will only deepen social disparities and economic inequality and increase poverty rates.

We emphasize that the success of any country in dealing with labor market issues is primarily linked to the extent of its interest in the future role of the Ministry of Labor in formulating national labor policy, and enhancing its role as a main channel for social dialogue and providing social protections. The responsibilities for labor policies and their implementation are interconnected, mutually supportive, and indivisible. They include a set of functions mandated by the Constitution and emphasized by national legislation and Jordan’s obligations under the international agreements and treaties it has ratified, particularly in the areas of labor protections and social protections, employment, industrial relations, occupational safety and health services, minimum wages, vocational training and human resources services, social dialogue, and labor inspection. The Ministry of Labor is entrusted with consultation, cooperation, and negotiation processes regarding these matters with social partners, workers and employers, within the framework of the tripartite structure principle that must be enshrined in the various functions of labor market management.

We demand that the government not adopt this proposal, and that it adopt a comprehensive approach to organizing the work of this ministry, empowering it and enhancing its role within the frameworks and standards recognized by countries and their experiences, so that it remains at the center of broader economic and social decision-making circles, and adopt a change strategy based on considering this ministry as an important element in the state’s performance of its role in labor market policies