The Private Sector Federation (PSF) has started training employers on negations in industrial relations which will enable them to interact well with their employees.
One of the trainers, Dirk Joosse, a senior consultant in the Association of Employers in Netherlands believes that employers ought to be flexible towards their employees if they wanted to improve their business productivity.
“In salary negotiation for instance, an employee might want a rise in order to cope up with the inflation which has affected the cost of living and in such a cases the employer should freely negotiate on the amount to be added despite the terms in the contract,” he said.
He added, “I mean if the employee is working in good conditions he will be motivated and work better”.
For bosses who are big-headed that also take lightly matters affecting their workers, a solution for such situations can be found in trade unions.
However, Joosse advised Rwandan employees to form themselves into vibrant trade unions since it facilitates advocacy for some of the issues affecting them.
“In some institutions you may find there’re no safety tools for those working in risky areas and likewise companies where employees don’t have medical insurance, the reason advocacy is essential, especially in pushing for the changes,” said.
His fellow trainer Jean Mukunzi who’s also an expert in industrial relations was quick to note that Rwandan labor laws suggest that in a company where there are more than eleven employees, there should be at least one representative to voice their concerns to the employer.
“Normally, the employees’ representative is a worker nominated by the employees and should communicate any problem his colleagues are facing,” he remarked.
Mukunzi also commended Rwandan laws but criticized a slow pace in implementing some of the policies which are essential.
He referred to the 80% salary insurance cover given to women who extend their maternity leave for extra six months.
“In Rwanda maternity leave was reduced from 12 to 6 weeks, where in the latter case, they get 100% of their salary while those willing to extend for 6 more weeks get 20%.
“That’s why there was a law meant to have an insurance cover for the remaining 80%, if this is implemented even those wishing to extend their maternity leave will receive their full salary,” he advised.
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