Mozambique: CTA pushes for labour law reform

The Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA) on Friday called for a targeted revision of the labour law, adapting it to the dynamics of the current labour market, and also requested a new private security law, pending for a decade. “Regarding the revision of the labour law, we understand that the Government has already initiated the necessary institutional steps. The private sector welcomes this initiative with high expectations,” stated the CTA president, Álvaro Massingue, during the first ordinary plenary session of the Labour Advisory Commission (CCT) in Maputo.

“This process should be completed within the current year” to ensure “a legal framework aligned with the current labour market dynamics and the demands of economic competitiveness,” he added. Massingue noted that the private sector submitted six issues for consideration by the Labour Advisory Commission, including the revision of the mining labour regulations, the regulations on hiring foreign labour, the compulsory social security regulations, the status of the legal framework for private security and protection, and the mechanism for negotiating minimum wages. He highlighted the urgent need for approval of the private security law proposal, as presented by business leaders.

“I would like to place particular emphasis on the private security law proposal, a matter the private sector has been advocating for nearly a decade. The delay in its approval is a serious concern, particularly as it is one of the sectors employing the most people in the country and, unfortunately, continues to be marked by high levels of labour precariousness,” he said. Massingue stressed that revising this specific legislation will represent a milestone in labour relations: “We are convinced that this law will constitute a real turning point, decisively contributing to the dignification of labour relations and the professionalisation of the sector.” The CTA also called for a revision of the mining labour regulations to remove interpretative discrepancies with the Labour Law, proposing greater clarity on overtime, leave, and compensatory rest in shifts, while simultaneously strengthening the legal and operational security of companies.

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The Minister of Labour, Gender and Social Action, Ivete Alane, as president of the CCT, acknowledged that 2025 was “an extremely difficult year,” marked by economic recession, post-election protests, and terrorism, but emphasised the importance of social dialogue for labour stability. “We are facing a sensitive economic transition that requires maturity, calm, and planning capacity,” Alane warned, adding that 2026 calls for strengthening professional retraining mechanisms. She also stressed the importance of labour transition for emerging sectors, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the crisis, and “expanding social protection for the most vulnerable workers.”

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