Summary
This project will reduce the frequency, severity and cost of resolution of labour disputes in Jordan, and improve the quality of negotiated labour outcomes, through three work streams.
1. Prevention: Financial and technical assistance to support activities promoting labour dispute avoidance, through the Jordan Better Workplace Association (JBWA). JBWA will provide direct support to firms to prevent conflict – for example by providing legal advice and free standard contracts – and by enabling fast and cheap early interventions (such as mediation) to de-escalate conflicts quickly.
2. Prioritisation: Ministry of Labour is provided with immediate support to improve the efficiency with which they resolve key cases. Support includes practical training and coaching and suggestions of alternative approaches. Success also requires prioritisation – MoL cannot and should not be working on every case.
3. Progression: Data collection and analysis enable a more detailed understanding of the nature of disputes. Pilot work enables alternative solutions to be developed and eventually mainstreamed. Subject to success of early years of the project, MoL takes a wider and more strategic role, reforms labour laws and supports rest of government deal with disputes in the public sector.