ITUC chief urges broader social dialogue for decent work

MUSCAT: Nabhan bin Ahmed al Battashi, Chairman of the GFOW Board of Directors, along with several board members and specialists from the General Federation of Oman Workers (GFOW), welcomed Luc Triangle, General-Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), to discuss crucial issues regarding workers' rights and social dialogue in the Sultanate of Oman. The meeting delved into the state of human and trade union rights in the country, emphasising legislative provisions in the Labour Law and Social Protection Law. The discussion reaffirmed the strategic partnership between GFOW, ITUC and its regional affiliates while highlighting GFOW’s role in protecting workers’ rights, improving working conditions, enhancing productivity and promoting social dialogue among tripartite partners. During his visit, the ITUC General-Secretary engaged in talks with Dr Mahad bin Said Baowain, Minister of Labour, and Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali al Harthy, Under-Secretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs. The focus was on institutionalising social dialogue through mechanisms that ensure evidence-based labour market policies and sustained engagement of all partners for effective implementation. Luc Triangle stressed the need to expand social dialogue with active GFOW participation to ensure that economic, financial and social policies contribute positively to decent work in the Sultanate of Oman. He also emphasised the importance of advancing legislation to support trade union rights and freedoms, which would pave the way for the Sultanate of Oman’s ratification of key ILO conventions. The GFOW has been a member of the ITUC since 2013 and has since collaborated on programmes aimed at strengthening trade union organisation and membership in the private sector. The ITUC, representing 191 million workers across 339 trade unions in 169 countries, plays a key role in shaping global labour policy, advocating for fair wages, reasonable working hours and leave entitlements. Through its Global Rights Index, the ITUC assesses workers’ rights globally based on factors such as freedom of association and collective bargaining.