Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

1. The Committee took note of the Government's report. It has also taken account of the relevant information contained in the Government's report on the application of Convention No. 142, on which it is also commenting. However, the brief general information supplied by the Government in its report on Convention No. 122 is not adequate for the Committee to ascertain the effect given to this Convention.

2. The Committee has noted recent studies or surveys of the ILO indicating that the staff of enterprises were cut back by approximately 15 per cent between January 1990 and July 1992, and that unemployment or underemployment may have affected 10 million persons by the end of 1992. As it has indicated in its previous reports, the Committee wishes to follow closely the application of the Convention in countries that are moving towards a market economy, and particularly in Russia. The Committee is bound to stress the need for detailed information to be supplied on employment policies which are being implemented in such a difficult context. Further to its previous direct request, it trusts that the Government's next report will contain full information in reply to each of the questions in the report form.

3. The Committee also notes the provisions of the Act of 19 April 1991 respecting the employment of the population. It notes with interest that the fundamental principles of the employment policy, which are set out in the above Act, include the objectives of equal opportunity and the free choice of employment, in accordance with the provisions of Article 1, paragraph 2(c), of the Convention. The Committee also notes that, under the terms of the Act, measures taken in the area of employment must be coordinated with the other objectives of economic and social policy. In this connection, it would be grateful if the Government would state in its next report the way in which the objective of full, productive and freely chosen employment is taken into consideration in determining the pace and nature of measures to be taken for the transition towards a market economy. Please indicate, in particular, how measures in the areas of prices, wages and incomes policies and investment and foreign trade policies are coordinated with employment policy.

4. The Committee further notes that section 5 of the Act of 19 April 1991 provides for the cooperation of trade unions and employers' associations in the preparation, implementation and supervision of the enforcement of measures to ensure employment. However, it observes that while section 21 of the Act entitles trade unions to participate in the formulation of employment policy and the relevant legislation, no similar entitlement is expressly established for employers' organizations. Moreover, the participation of employers' organizations in the regular consultations on employment problems is not provided for in the Act. The Committee recalls in this connection that under Article 3 of the Convention representatives of the persons affected, and particularly representatives of employers and workers, must be consulted concerning employment policies "with a view to taking fully into account their experience and views and securing their full cooperation in formulating and enlisting support for such policies". It would be grateful if in its next report the Government would describe the practical procedures for the consultation of the representatives of all persons affected.