Opposition Spokesman on National Security Peter Bunting says many Jamaican contract workers are being subject to high levels of job insecurity and exploitation.

“Many workers in Jamaica are subject to high degrees of job insecurity and, in some cases, downright exploitation. Some employers often use the façade of contracting to avoid the legal and ethical obligation to provide sick leave with pay, vacation leave with pay, maternity leave with pay, the right to union representation, and the right to redundancy payments if a business is restructured. Studies have shown a connection between job insecurity and heart disease, diabetes, ulcers, headaches, back pains, and insomnia,” Bunting said.

He was speaking in Parliament on Thursday (December 21), during his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate.

Bunting says businesses often justify this practice of contract work by claiming that their business or the sector cannot afford to pay better wages and that their customers cannot afford to pay the pass-through cost of higher wages.

“My response to those arguments is that if the viability of a business is predicated on exploitation of workers, then you should seek another business,” he said.

“This pretend contracting practice is still commonplace in tourism, retail, BPO, and other sectors… and it must be challenged. The hard-fought battle for workers’ rights by political giants such Alexander Bustamante, Norman Manley, Hugh Shearer, Michael Manley, and Portia Simpson…and continued by our own Senators Lambert Brown and Kavan Gayle must not be betrayed,” Bunting added.

He says the ultimate security for workers is that after a lifetime of hard work and national contribution, they can enjoy a retirement of relative comfort provided by an adequate pension.