Parliament has referred six Bills to legal affairs and budget and finance committees of Parliament for further scrutiny before they are debated in the House.

The government Bills which are Labour Relations (Amendment), Employment (Amendment), Political Parties (Amendment), Constitution Amendment, Parliamentary Service, and Deposit Insurance were read on Friday in the House for the first time.

Presenting two of the six Bills, Deputy Minister of Labour Vera Kamtukule said the Labour Relations seeks to amend the Labour Relations Act in order to provide for an employer’s right to deduct wages from an employee who is a sit in.

“This Bill seeks to amend the Labour Relations Act (Cap 54:01) in order to provide for an employer’s right to deduct wages from an employee who is on strike.

“Clarify the categories of essential services to which the right to strike and lockdown does not apply and to do away with the requirement of employer and employee panelists in the Industrial Relations Court,” reads the Bill in part.

In an interview, Kamtukule added that section 47 has been amended to do away with the requirement for the Industrial Relations Court to determine whether a service is essential.

“The proposal is in line with International Labour Organization’s guidelines and international best practices which entitle an employer to respond to a strike by withholding wages from the employee on the basis of the principle of no work, no pay,” she said.

Section 47 has also been amended to do away with the requirement for the Industrial Relations Court to determine whether a service is essential.

When the Bill is adopted by the House, the responsible Minister shall publish a list of essential services which may not go on strike or lockdown and provide compensatory guarantees for the listed essential services.

In addition, the Industrial Relations Court has been restructured to exclude the requirement of employer and employee panelists.