Jordan Labor Watch welcomes the publication of the Agricultural Workers Bylaw No. 19 of 2021, which was issued pursuant to Article 3 (B) of the Labor Law No. 8 of 1996, in the Official Gazette of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
According to the statement made by Jordan Labor Watch, an affiliate of the Phenix Center for Economic and Information Studies, "the issuance of this regulatory framework is a long-awaited qualitative leap towards improved working conditions for men and women working in agriculture.”
The statement published on Sunday evening noted: "Although Jordan Labor Watch welcomes the promulgation of the by-law, Article 15 of the bylaw excludes agricultural workers whose employers retain three workers or less from a number of labor rights contained in the provisions of the law."
The statement noted that the exclusion of these workers of basic labor standards is both a serious flaw in the by-law, and is not justifiable.
Nevertheless, Jordan Labor Watch maintains that “the issuance of the by-law for workers in agriculture will contribute to improved working conditions for tens of thousands of men and women working in the agricultural sector, which plays a central role in enhancing Jordan's food security.”
The statement by Jordan Labor Watch asserted that "the majority of men and women working in agriculture in Jordan suffer from poor working conditions and are deprived of decent work standards contained in the Jordanian Labor Code.”
Finally, Jordan Labor Watch asserted that the Ministry of Labor must now expedite the implementation of this by-law on the ground, rather than treating it only as a mere requirement to complete the activation of the Labor Law.