Improvement of workers’ skills essential, labour minister says

Challenges persist and there are still lessons to be learned in improving workers’ skills in response to the needs of the job market, as the lack of skilled labour continues to hamper development.
This was the message from the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Dr Khampheng Saysompheng, in a report delivered to the ministry’s Party congress on Monday.

He also outlined the successful efforts of authorities to help Lao workers overseas.
Efforts to improve people’s livelihoods and their effective contribution to the economy had been hampered by floods that ravaged parts of the country recently, he added.
Floods had affected the roll out of skill development initiatives and social welfare.
Sources of information on the structure of the workforce were limited and the situation lacked clarity, Dr Khampheng said, while skills development and employment mechanisms were not yet comprehensive and the labour information system was incomplete.
In addition, regulations regarding the rights of in-country workers, Lao workers in foreign countries and foreign workers in Laos were not being enforced.
One reason for the loss of income in the labour sector was that many large-scale development projects brought in foreign workers which involved added costs, Dr Khampeng said.
Workers now have improved employment security with access to social protection and dialogue, which both strengthens the workforce and the country’s economy. Butmembers of the Social Security System in some organisations have been unable to meet their goals because some privately-owned factories have failed to comply with the law on social security.
Labour authorities have worked with the private sector to improve and promote employment services and self-employment, strengthen workers’ protection, and enhance industrial relations.
Dr Khampeng said this must be the focus in the future, even though skills have been improved to some extent and more has been done to protect workers’ rights, especially over the past year.
Young people now have more opportunities to improve their skills thanks to the ministry’s improved labour policies.
The ministry will continue to train workers by equipping people from poor backgrounds with essential job skills.

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By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update November 25, 2020)