Africa-Press – Angola. The deputies of the National Assembly (AN) approved, this Thursday, in general, the Proposal to amend the General Labor Law, which reinforces harmony in labor relations between workers and employers.
The diploma, a legislative initiative of the President of the Republic, as holder of the Executive Power, was approved with 189 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions, during the 4th Ordinary Plenary Meeting of the 1st Legislative Session of the V Legislature.
The Proposal for a General Labor Law aims, essentially, to reprise a set of rules that were revoked with Law No. 2/2000, of February 11, in order to create a greater balance in the defense of the interests of workers and employers and reinforce harmony in work relationships.
In front of the hemicycle, the Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security, Pedro José Filipe, summarized the importance of the proposal in question in eight fundamental pillars, specifically inclusion, stability, dignity, innovation, flexibility, justice, practicality and balance.
The person in charge recalled that the Proposed Law deserved unanimous approval and recommendation for approval at the last National Council for Social Dialogue.
The proposed law reintroduces the employment contract for an indefinite period as a rule, and assumes, unequivocally, the employment contract as the only form of constitution of legal labor relations.
With the consecration of the catalog of protection of personality rights, workers are more protected, under the terms of articles 20 to 27 of the proposal.
The diploma redefines special work contracts, with a focus on telework and sports work contracts, as well as introducing greater flexibility in the organization and duration of work, with emphasis on the working hours of student workers and workers with family responsibilities (paternity leave).
The proposed law also assumes the responsibility of the social protection management entity (INSS) to guarantee the payment of sickness or accident benefits for workers who fall under the disability regime.
It also clarifies the causes for the illegality of dismissals and the respective consequences, as well as the reconfiguration of the criterion for determining compensation.
With the alteration of the section dedicated especially to women workers, gender equality and non-discrimination are enshrined, with the introduction of complementary maternity leave and social protection against dismissal for objective reasons.
Also noteworthy is the introduction of personality rights in the proposal, especially freedom of expression and opinion, physical and moral integrity, privacy of privacy and protection of personal data.
The General Labor Law Proposal, which will be the subject of discussion in the AN’s specialized commissions, is systematised into 326 articles, 11 chapters, 46 sections, 25 subsections, 2 divisions and 5 subdivisions.
In its declaration of vote, the UNITA parliamentary group, in the voice of deputy Peregrino Chindondo, justified his party’s favorable vote on the fact that the matter under discussion “is of great importance for workers and companies”.
He expressed the need to create new employment opportunities for youth and the majority of the Angolan population.
“We understand that, despite the timid advances in the Proposed Law, we hope that in the discussion on the specialty our structuring proposals will be taken into account, so that the Law can benefit Angola and the Angolans”, he stressed.
In turn, MP Esteves Hilário, from the MPLA, said he was convinced that, after discussion on the specialty, a very important instrument for the lives of workers and companies would be approved.
However, he explained that it is not the General Labor Law that generates jobs, “it regulates labor relations, what generates employment is economic development
For the MPLA deputy, the idea should not be conveyed to young people “that because they were born in a country rich in natural resources, they don’t need to work”.
Tripartite Free Trade Area
The Plenary of the National Assembly approved, this Thursday, the Draft Resolution for the Ratification of the Agreement that Creates the Tripartite Free Trade Area between the Common Market of East and Southern Africa, the East African Community and the Development Community of Southern Africa.
The Draft Resolution was approved with 164 votes in favour, no votes against and no abstentions.
The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Victor Fernandes, said, on the occasion, that Angolan operators and businessmen could be facing a reality of an area of 527 million people (consumers) and that, at the moment, represents 624 billion of dollars.
For the minister, if on the one hand there is a fear that eventually we may not yet be at an economic stage of competition, which would allow reaching other economies that are eventually more evolved, on the other hand, this area also has the objective of exchanging knowledge services .
Deputy Pedro Sebastião, from the MPLA, understands that the ratification of the Agreement that creates the Tripartite Free Trade Area should be strongly supported, “which, moreover, other countries that find an important niche of advantages there, have already done so.
Therefore, he said, ratification of the Tripartite Trade Area Agreement is imperative and recommended.
The Agreement Establishing the Tripartite Free Trade Area between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community was signed by Member States in June 2015 in Egypt.
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