Economic development and improving the population’s well-being have always been a priority in the policies of the Macau SAR Government, so that residents can share in the benefits of economic development. Beyond full employment, it is necessary to ensure the quality of employment, strengthen labor rights, and protect workers’ interests. Some jobs in Macau have maintained inadequate and outdated standards for many years.
Some employees face difficulties recovering unpaid wages, and there are issues with compensation for work-related accidents. In some cases, there is also a clear need to review and improve workers’ rights, which requires revising labor laws, combating illegal work, recovering unpaid wages, and protecting creditors. The Government must take the lead in these processes and encourage the Standing Committee for Social Consultation to study the necessary changes to labor law, reviewing the current situation and gathering opinions from society. In the new year, the Committee must take on these projects and formulate a clear labor policy for the short and medium term, including in the legal framework.
In his electoral platform and after extensive consultation with all sectors of society, the Chief Executive announced that, in due course, the number of vacation days would be increased, as well as maternity leave. Many workers hope that the Government will implement specific plans and formulate a schedule to improve employment quality, protecting labor rights and workers’ interests.
The Labor Relations Law has been in force for nearly 15 years. In 2020, the authorities prioritized seven amendments, including paternity leave and the replacement of overlapping leave. However, the time allocated for mandatory—and non-mandatory—leave has not been reviewed for over 30 years. Additionally, the law stipulates that paid maternity leave is 70 days, while the proposal in the “Macau Women’s Development Goals” recommends harmonizing maternity leave between the public and private sectors. The community also expects an increase in the number of maternity leave days, supported by government subsidies.
For many years, several neighboring regions have gradually improved rest rights and increased the number of vacation days, based on seniority criteria. Therefore, Macau authorities should consult all sectors of society and promote social consensus, implementing work and leave plans as quickly as possible, improving labor laws, and increasing employment quality and labor protection for residents.
Federation of Trade Unions of Macau
