Better Work Jordan (BWJ) is a partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The ILO flagship program brings together stakeholders from all levels of the global garment manufacturing industry to improve working conditions, enhance respect for labor rights, and boost competitiveness. Better Work Jordan was established in 2008 at the request of the Government of Jordan (GoJ) and the United States (US) government.
The garment industry in Jordan has seen significant growth in the last ten years. The total exports in 2021 were valued at approximately USD 1.8 billion. Around 62,000 workers were employed in the exporting garment sector in 2021. Migrant workers make up three-quarters of the workforce. These workers, primarily from South Asia, typically work in Jordan for a contract of two to three years, which can be extended. Bangladeshis are the largest group of workers (over 50 percent of migrant workers), and there are also workers from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Myanmar. Jordanian workers make up the remaining 25 percent of the workforce. The majority of workers are women – nearly 75 percent of the production workforce – whereas the majority of management positions are held by men.
After a series of negotiation meetings between the employers and the union in May 2013, a ground-breaking collective bargaining agreement was signed between the Jordan Garments, Accessories and Textiles Exporters’ Association (JGATE); the Association of Owners of Factories, Workshops and Garments; and the General Trade Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing Industries (JTGCU). The agreement, which affected the country’s 55,000 garment workers at the time, was one of the most comprehensive CBAs to be found in Jordan.
Today, and as part of Better Work Jordan’s efforts to build on the success of the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) funded project to support trade union capacity and enhance social dialogue in the garment sector, the stakeholders aim to sign the sector’s fifth collective bargaining agreement. This is considered as a significant step for the garment sector in Jordan, as it plays a major role in strengthening worker representation, social dialogue and industrial relations, as well as competitiveness and productivity.
Under the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, there is an aim to activate the ‘Collective Contract Committee’, which is also referred to under article (42/A/5) of the Jordanian Labour Law. The purpose of this committee is to ensure the effective implementation of the CBA, resolve arising disputes and ensuring follow up on the CBA. Its members should include equal representation from worker representatives and employer representatives.
The objective of this consultancy is to develop a ‘Standard Operating Procedures’ (SOP) document for the ‘Collective Contract Committee’ referred to above.
Duties and responsibilities:
To achieve the above objective, the consultant will be responsible for the following:
All applicants must their technical and financial proposals as two separate documents to the following email address: jordan@betterwork.org. The deadline to submit applications is August 30, 2022 , at midnight (Jordan time). Only selected applicants will be contacted for an interview.
Please find the full Terms of Reference from here.