Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Further to its previous comments the Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report for the period ending 31 May 1997 as well as in the Labour Inspectorate General Report for 1996. It also notes the observations by the Confederation of Turkish Employers' Associations (TISK) and by the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TURK-IS).

1. Article 2 of the Convention. Scope of the national system of labour inspection. The Committee notes the observation of TURK-IS alleging that among the registered establishments in Turkey there are many small workplaces difficult to supervise and inspect; and that it is believed that there are about 4 million clandestinely employed workers in hundreds of thousands of unregistered small workplaces all around the country. The Committee also notes that for its part TISK in its observation points to the importance of bringing the informal sector under register, as only registered workplaces can be inspected and nothing can be done as concerns those which are not under coverage. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide its response to these allegations and indicate, in particular, the measures undertaken or envisaged in order to cover by the system of labour inspection the work performed in the informal sector, especially the work of children.

2. Article 5, paragraph (b). Collaboration. The Committee notes the observations by TURK-IS that there is no systematic and effective collaboration between the labour inspectors and workers and their organizations. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide information on the arrangements made in order to promote such collaboration.

3. Articles 10 and 16. Number of labour inspectors, workplace visits. The Committee notes the observations by TURK-IS alleging, inter alia, that it is impossible to discharge effectively the duties of the inspectorate and to inspect workplaces as regularly and efficiently as required by the Convention with approximately 400 inspectors of the Social Insurance Institution and with 633 labour inspectors of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The Committee recalls in this connection that in its previous comments it asked the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the number of inspectors is sufficient to secure the effective discharge of the duties of the inspectorate and to ensure that workplaces are inspected as often and thoroughly as is necessary. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that the list of staff of the Labour Inspection Board of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security consists of 1,020 positions (355 chief labour inspectors, 405 labour inspectors and 260 assistant labour inspectors). In 1996 there were 690 persons employed as inspection staff of whom there were 348 chief labour inspectors, 180 labour inspectors and 162 assistant labour inspectors (698, 353, 182 and 163 respectively in 1995). The Committee also notes the information that in 1996 there were 41,194 administrative inspections (35,193 in 1995), 32,003 safety and health inspections (28,686 in 1995) as well as several "project inspections": inspections in the construction industry; of petrol stations; of shoe manufactures in the province of Gazyantep; of the liquid oxygen production and refilling installations; in the textile industry; of carpet manufacturers and factories; of health establishments; and in the food sector in the Ankara province and the surrounding districts. In connection with the above the Committee hopes that the Government will indicate the measures taken or envisaged in order to fill vacant positions of the labour inspection staff with a view of increasing the annual percentage of actually inspected workplaces and employees. The Committee also hopes that the Government would continue to supply information on the new "project inspections" as well as on the results of such inspections undertaken in the past.

4. Article 20, paragraph 1. Annual general report. The Committee notes the observation of TURK-IS alleging that the annual general report on the work of the inspection services is not published in such a manner as to enable a reliable evaluation of the inspection and hopes that the Government will provide information in response to these allegations.