Industrial Labour Force
Manufacturing
companies establishing bases in Lesotho have no shortage of job applicants.
People are Lesotho’s most important natural resource and with a population of
2.2 million (2003) which is growing by 2.6% annually, Lesotho has an abundant,
well motivated, educated, adaptable and easily trained labour force. There are
about 26,000 new entrants into the labour force per annum. The labour force
lives within easy access of major industrial estates thus ensuring low
absenteeism and punctuality.
Quality of Labour
Lesotho’s literacy rate is 87%. This index will increase
substantially following the Government’s implementation of the Free Primary
Education Programme which came into effect from January 2000. More importantly,
English is taught in all schools from pre-school upwards. This facilitates ease
of communication in the work place.
Forty thousand pupils enter high school every year and the
National University of Lesotho produces nearly 900 graduates per annum in the
arts, science and business. Lesotho also has three vocational training
institutes which produce a range of skilled technicians and craftsmen with
skills in electrical/electronics engineering, carpentry, joinery and
construction.
Basotho workers are quality conscious and easily trainable.
They are world renowned for their manual dexterity as can be seen from the
intricate hand woven mohair tapestries and sophisticated hand crafted jewellery
which are exported to the most discerning markets of Europe, the Nordic
countries and the United States.
Remuneration
Lesotho’s labour cost is competitive by world standards and
is considerably lower than that of its neighbour, South Africa.
Basic minimum wages are fixed and reviewed periodically by a
Statutory Wages Advisory Board on the basis of macro economic conditions and key
cost-related indicators. This is a tripartite board composed of government,
private sector employers and employee representatives (mainly trade unions.
Top
Work Conditions
Companies may design their
own disciplinary codes and procedures, grievance procedures and redundancy and
retrenchment policies and procedures or use the ones designed and recommended by
Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC).
An employer or employee who fails to give notice for
termination of contract is obliged to pay money in lieu of notice to the
affected employees and vice versa. read more
Industrial Relations
The Government of Lesotho recognises that harmonious
industrial relations is the sine qua non for attracting new investment and the
basis for the high productivity needed to boost employment and living
standards. Mechanisms are in place for prevention and resolution of disputes.
Industrial action may only take place after extensive negotiations aimed at
preventing and resolving a dispute of interest. Disputes of right are not
strikable but may be resolved through
conciliation and arbitration or adjudication.
Freedom of Association
Employees have a right to form or join organisations of their
own choice or otherwise in order to safeguard their interests.
Employers' Organisations
The employers’ organisations operating in the clothing
textile and leather industry are as follows: Association of Lesotho Employers
(ALE), Lesotho Textile Exporters Association (LTEA) and Lesotho
Industrial Employers Association (LIEA). They all
represent the interests of their member companies particularly in their dealings
with trade unions and in the statutory tripartite bodies.
