Occupational health and safety and social dialogue in the mining sector in Colombia

This ultimate project goal is to improve social and economic conditions of mining sector stakeholders in the Department of La Guajira in Colombia, guaranteeing fundamental rights at work, in particular freedom of association, collective bargaining, in accordance with International labour Standards. In particular, the project will contribute to strengthen the institutional capacity to promote the respect of fundamental rights at work, occupational safety and health practices and productive development in the coal mining sector in La Guajira, Colombia. The project is expected to achieve two main interrelated outcomes. On the one hand, as a necessary condition to improve working conditions (including occupational safety and health), the project needs to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Subcommittee on Wage and Labour Policies of the La Guajira Department in terms of promotion of fundamental rights at work and conflict prevention and resolution in enterprises contractors of the mining sector. This institutional capacity will then serve other economic sectors and enterprises of the Department and creates the conditions of improved labour relations in the region. On the other hand, based on an improved labour relations among employers and workers, the project will implement tools and methodologies to strengthen cooperation at the workplace and achieve practical improvements on occupational safety and health conditions of workers and improved productivity in twenty (20) small, medium and large enterprises (with 50 to 1,800 workers each) contractors of the leading coal company Carbones El Cerrejón. The project will achieve the following outputs (for each outcome): 1. Increased institutional capacity of social dialogue to promote the respect of principles and fundamental rights at work, occupational safety and health and working conditions in the Department of La Guajira in Colombia. 1.1. Diagnosis on labour relations in la Guajira designed and discussed on a tripartite basis. 1.2. Capacity building programme on conflict prevention and resolution for Subcommittee ´s members designed and conducted. 1.3. Advocacy and outreach campaigns conducted to improve occupational safety and health and working conditions in the mining sector in La Guajira 1.4. A strategy to improve labour relations and dialogue in mining sector agreed upon by tripartite constituents (government, employers and workers). 2. Increased capacity of contractors of the coal mining sector in La Guajira on occupational safety and health at the workplace and productivity. 2.1. Local professional staff from the National Vocational Training Institute (SENA) and private consultants, trained on OSH methodologies. 2.2. Contractors of the mining sector have adopted methodologies and practices to improve occupational safety and health and productivity at the workplace. 2.3. Results systematized and discussed with Subcommittee members are disseminated nationally for an application in other regions

Project symbol

COL/13/01/CAN

Admin unit

DWT/CO-Lima

Start date

21/03/2013

End date

31/12/2015

Total allocation

292883

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

279076

Development Partners

Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada

Country/Countries

Colombia

Outcomes

Promoting sustainable enterprises