Terms of Reference: Developing Standard Operating Procedures for the Collective Contract Committee referred to in the Jordanian Labour Law and the Collective Bargaining Agreement in Jordan’s Garment Sector

Organization context and scope

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.

Objective, duties and responsibilities:

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:

Deliverable 1: Inception report including initial planning and a review of existing documents.

• Conduct a comprehensive review report on existing documents related to the Collective Contract Committee and its duties. The BWJ team will support in providing some of the documents, in addition to further research to be conducted by the consultant. This report should be provided in English and Arabic.

Deliverable 2: Standard Operating Procedures document.

• Create a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) document for the Collective Contract Committee. The SOPs should include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Profile and qualifications of committee members;
  • Frequency and procedures of meetings;
  • Ensuring the effective implementation of the CBA;
  • Resolving disputes arising during the implementation of the CBA;
  • Procedures to attend to all types of individual and/or collective grievances including those pertaining to gender-based violence and other forms of harassment.
• The SOPs document should be provided in English and Arabic

Deliverable 3: Consultation with stakeholders and dissemination report.

• Consult with relevant stakeholders including the JTGCU and JGATE, among others, on outcomes of deliverable 2 and finalize the SOPs document accordingly.
• Develop a dissemination report / presentation on the finalized SOP document to present to national constituents. This report/ presentation should be provided in English and Arabic.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Law or relevant field
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the Jordanian garment sector and social dialogue
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the Jordanian Labour Law
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills
• Fluency in Arabic and English

Submission

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.