Whenever there is an official public holiday, a huge debate starts immediately as a result of instructions of the Ministry of Labour indicating that the official holiday concerns public sector workers only. Consequently, companies tend to oblige workers to work on holidays without receiving the rights and benefits stated in the Law which is that one and half day wage per each official public holiday.

Ministry of Labour was criticized by Trade Unions regarding this topic. Previous government circulars on public holidays used to indicate clearly workers of public and private sectors. Whereas present circulars are directed to ministries, public institutions and government owned companies, which contradict with the Law.

The current drafting of public holiday circulars that excludes private sector workers is considered a discriminatory procedure. It deepens imbalances of labour market. Thus, the General Union for Textile and Garment Sector Workers (the Union) expresses its concern against such procedure that deprives private sector workers from their right to enjoy holidays similar to public sector workers.

In a statement issued recently, the Union expressed its regret and wonder of the unclear position of the Labour Ministry regarding official holidays announced by the Prime Ministry. The Union expressed its regret to the state of chaos created as result of interpretation of the announcement, as was the case in New Higri Year, which is considered an official public religious holiday celebrated annually.

We, at the Union, think that Ministry of Labour had recently put workers and employers in a case of chaos as result of interpretation of government circulars. The Ministry violates the text of article 59 of valid Labour Law no. 8 for 1996 as amended regarding work on weekly, religious and official holidays. The Union would like to remind the Ministry of the Prime Minister’s letter addressed to Minister of Trade and Industry ref. no. 18/11/9/1745 dated 21 Jan. 2012. The letter indicated that circulars of official holidays include private sector establishments without further details. It stated that Official Communiqué no. 7 for 2007 identified official and religious holidays are the following: New Higri Year Day, Labour Day, Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday, Month of Ramadan Eid, Adha Eid, Christmas Day, New Year Day and Independence Day.

We, at the Union, stress that any official communiqué to declare official holiday requires employers employing workers on such holidays to pay workers one and half day wage per each holiday. We would like to request the Ministry to refrain from such unclear status and avoid infringement of workers’ rights and benefits stated by the Law; otherwise the Union is obliged to refer to the Law to ensure enforcement of workers’ rights as stipulated by the Constitution and the Law.