In a statement released Saturday, SOCOTU said the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) approved the law without genuine tripartite consultation, a move the union body says violates International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 144, which requires consultation among governments, employers, and workers in labour law reforms.

The Somali Congress of Trade Unions (SOCOTU) rejects and does not support the newly launched Somali Labour Code (Law No. 36 due to its failure to comply with international labour standards and the exclusion of workers' representatives from the law reform process.

The Ministry of… pic.twitter.com/QY2O6ZTEzp

— Somali Congress of Trade Unions (SOCOTU) (@socotuofficial) February 7, 2026

According to SOCOTU, the new Labour Code also falls short of meeting the requirements of ILO Conventions No. 87 and No. 98, which protect freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. The union federation criticised provisions in the law that allow extensive ministerial control over trade unions, weaken collective bargaining processes, and fail to establish independent enforcement mechanisms.

SOCOTU further raised concerns about what it described as unclear sanctions, weak labour inspection systems, limited protections for informal workers, and insufficient guarantees for freedom of association and fair wage determination. The organisation warned that, rather than strengthening labour protections, the new code could undermine workers’ rights across the country.

"The current Labour Code risks rolling back hard-won labour rights instead of advancing decent work,” SOCOTU said, calling the law inadequate to address the realities faced by Somali workers.

The Trade union body has urged the government to immediately review the Labour Code through a genuine tripartite social dialogue process, with the full and equal participation of workers’ organisations, employers, and government representatives. SOCOTU emphasised that any revised legislation should align with Somalia’s international labour obligations and ILO standards.

Calls to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for comment returned unanswered.

Somalia did not decent labor law for the last 30 years and trade unions worry that this law further pushes the Somali workers to have their rights derailed.