Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2009, publiée 99ème session CIT (2010)

Referring to its observation, the Committee notes that the report provided by the Government in July 2009 is almost identical to the one received in 2006. Consequently it would be grateful if the Government would provide further information on the following points.

Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 20 and 21 of the Convention. Process of reorganizing labour inspection into an integrated system. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that it was planned to reorganize the various existing authorities into an integrated inspection system which would be responsible for supervising both general conditions of work and occupational health and safety. It notes that, according to the Government, the reorganization process, which forms part of the Decent Work Programme (2006–07), is still under way and that an interdepartmental working group has been set up to bring the process to a successful conclusion. The Committee requests the Government to keep the Office informed of any developments relating to the labour inspection reorganization process and to provide a copy of any text adopted in this context.

The Committee requests the Government to take, in the context of the future labour inspection system, measures ensuring that an annual report containing the information required on the matters referred to in Article 21 of the Convention is published and a copy is transmitted to the ILO, in accordance with Article 20. It requests the Government to provide information on any progress made to that end and to provide the statistics available on inspection activities to allow the Committee to assess the level of application of the Convention.

Articles 6, 11 and 16. Impact of the status, conditions of service and conditions of work of labour inspectors on the coverage rate of the workplaces liable to inspection. The Committee notes with concern the information that territorial state labour inspectors are leaving the service as a result of the appalling conditions of service compared to their excessive responsibilities. Furthermore, they are not provided with the transport facilities necessary to carry out inspections and lack equipment that is useful in the performance of their duties, such as copying equipment, cameras and dictaphones. The Government indicates that only 5 per cent of the workplaces liable to inspection have been inspected, but that a request for a budget increase has been submitted by the Directorate of State Labour Inspection. The Committee urges the Government to take measures to ensure that the status and conditions of service (stability of employment, remuneration commensurate with their responsibilities, career prospects, etc.), and the conditions of work (offices, office equipment and supplies and instruments for measurement and reproduction, transport facilities and reimbursement of professional travelling expenses) of labour inspectors are appropriate for the effective performance of their duties and to provide information on any progress made to that end.

The Government is also requested to keep the Office informed of developments relating to the number of labour inspectors and their geographical distribution during the period covered by the next report.

Article 7. Training of serving labour inspectors. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided information on the planned creation of a training centre for labour inspectors, which was announced in a previous report on the Protection of Wages Convention, 1949 (No. 95). The Government is requested to keep the Office informed of any developments in this regard and to provide information on the content and frequency of training courses and seminars in which inspectors have participated during the period covered by its next report. It would be grateful if it would also indicate the measures taken in the context of the implementation of the Decent Work Programme relating to labour inspection to update the training of labour inspectors to enable them to carry out their duties effectively in the context of an integrated inspection system.