OSH Bill Passes Without UDP, But Party Supports It

In the UDP’s absence from Friday’s House Sitting, the government went ahead and passed the long‑awaited Occupational Safety and Health Bill, a historic step aimed at giving workers stronger protection on the job. But to clear the air, UDP Senator Gabriel Zetina said today that the party fully supports the legislation. He added that the UDP intends to push for its proper implementation while keeping a close eye on how much power the bill gives to inspectors and ministers, stressing that those authorities must never be abused.

 

Gabriel Zetina, UDP Senator

“Today the UDP Parliamentarian caucus is of the view that advancing the amendment bill is a step in the right direction. So for the avoidance of doubt we categorically state on record that we support the bill in principle. However, I am sure you guys have seen the press release last week, the passage of the bill in the current form alone would not be enough and we just want to ensure that good law must be functional and fair in practice and not just sounds good in theory and on paper. There are several observations that we believe must be addressed. The bill grants very broad powers to inspectors, including authorities to require costly examinations and tests as employer’s expense. While we believe enforcement is necessary, unchecked authority without clear safeguards can create uncertainty and financial strain especially for small size businesses.”

 

As the OSH Bill moves forward, the UDP says it will support its rollout while keeping a sharp eye on inspectors’ powers to make sure the new law protects workers without unfairly burdening small businesses.