Comprehensive training programme for legal representatives of the labour justice system in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic

The Labour Justice Training project is executed in 5 countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. The executant agency of the project is the International Labour Organization and the donor is USDOL, the US Department of Labor. The project contributes with the strengthening of the judicial system for labour law, in the administrative, and judicial central offices. This will help with the effective implementation of ILO international standards, in a political and socioeconomic context, characterized by regional integration processes and free trade agreements. In this sense, the project pretends to carry out a group of activities with the following necessary components: a) The publishing and comprehension of International Labour Standards, especially those related to the freedom of association, the right to organize and collective bargaining, the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, the respect for a minimum age for the employment of minors, the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, and the compliance with the acceptable work conditions regarding minimum wages, work hours, and occupational health and safety. b) The improvement of the procedures for individual and collective conflict labour solutions, and c) the need of training judges, officers of labour ministries, and other involved parties regarding national and international labour law, that helps to make secure judicial and administrative resolutions. The beneficiaries of the Project are the labour judges and magistrates, prosecutors, labour ministries, officials, lawyers, representatives of employers’ organizations and workers organizations, involved in judicial and administrative justice proceedings, law school faculties and students of the countries involved. They could obtain a high level of security and satisfaction due to the technical and administrative support (training). For example lawyers could better dominate the regulations (laws) in specific cases, and this can help in the process of cultural transformation, social dialogue, and reduction of labour conflicts. Project Objectives 1. To contribute to strengthen labour justice, at the administrative and judicial level, so as to advance in the effective compliance of ILO´s international labour standards related to the freedom of association, the right to organize and collective bargaining, the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, the respect for a minimum age for the employment of minors, the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, and the compliance with the acceptable work conditions regarding minimum wages, work hours, and occupational health and safety and social protection in the context of regional integration processes and free trade agreements. 2. At the end of the Project, labour judges and magistrates, prosecutors, ministerial officials’ lawyers, representatives of employers' and workers' organizations involved in administrative and judicial proceedings, teachers and students of law school faculties will have a deeper knowledge of the ILO international labour standards. 3. At the end of the Project, labour judges and magistrates, prosecutors, ministerial officials’ lawyers, representatives of employers' and workers' organizations involved in administrative and judicial proceedings, teachers and students of law school faculties will have a better knowledge of the national legislation and how it supports recognized internationally labour rights. 4. At the end of the project a formative module will have been developed so that national judicial academies are prepared to provide training in regard to the application of those internationally recognized labour rights, how they relate to national legislation and promote consistent interpretation of jurisprudence. 5. At the end of the project employers and workers requesting the participation of the labour administrative and ju

Project symbol

RLA/06/08/USA

Admin unit

DWT/CO-San Jose

Start date

01/09/2006

End date

31/03/2009

Total allocation

2050001

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

2034400

Development Partners

USA, United States Department of Labor, Bureau for International Labor Affairs, Office of Trade and Labor Affairs

Country/Countries

Americas - regional

Outcomes

Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining