Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Macau Special Administrative Region (Ratification: 1999)

Other comments on C122

Direct Request

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The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government in its report received in reply to the 2010 direct request.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Employment trends. In reply to the 2010 direct request, the Government indicates in its report received in August 2011 that unemployment rose to 3.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2009. The Committee notes that the Government took measures to overcome the negative effects of the global economic crisis. Measures in the construction sector include the Short-Term Assistance Programme for the Underemployed Construction Workers in the period May–July 2010. One thousand nine hundred and fifty six members participated in this programme, out of which about 70 per cent were aged 50 or above. The Committee notes that the number of unemployed workers in the construction industry decreased from 2009 (2,800) to 2010 (2,400). In the conference and exhibition sector, measures taken by the Government include the establishment of the Databank Conference and Exhibition Personnel, which provides an interactive employment information platform to be used for matching between the requirements of the industry and the people equipped with the relevant skills for conferences and exhibitions and to alleviate the shortage for human resources in the industry. Overall, employment rose from 2009 (317,500 persons) to 2011 (325,400 persons), unemployment decreased from 2009 (11.7 per cent) to 2011 (8.9 per cent), and underemployment decreased from 2009 (6.1 per cent) to 2011 (4.8 per cent). The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on employment, unemployment and underemployment for years subsequent to the last report. The Committee also invites the Government to provide further information on any measures taken in any other sector to create employment.

Measures taken in response to the global crisis. The Committee notes that joint efforts have been made by the Government and social partners in devising and promoting measures contributing to improve the employment situation in the Macau Special Administrative Region, China. The Macao Social Enterprise Co. Ltd was set up by entrepreneurs in the construction sector in August 2009 to solve the employment problems through employment training and referrals. The Macao Federation of Trade Unions provided on-the-job training and recruitment schemes to tackle unemployment. It launched the “Scheme of on-the-job training and recruitment” in mid-2009 to assist unskilled workers to acquire necessary skills for working in the large enterprises in gaming, hotel, or food and drink sectors. The Government also indicates that the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs established a Committee for the Hiring of Non-Resident Workers to implement and supervise the execution of laws and regulations, taking into account the views of the public in implementing these laws, and assisting the Government in formulating policies and measures regarding hiring non-resident workers. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report updated information on the measures taken in response to the crisis and to provide an evaluation of the impact of the measures. The Committee also invites the Government to provide further details on the progress and evaluation of the impact of legislation on the recruitment of non-resident workers.

Vulnerable groups of workers. The Government reports on the various types of subsidies that include: training subsidy for unemployed people, the subsidy on hiring unemployed people, the subsidy on aiding unemployed persons with disabilities to find employment, and subsidy on hiring first time jobseeking youth. The Committee notes that the Scheme of Internship on Mainland China for Graduates of Institutions of Higher Education was launched in 2009 in order to provide graduates with work experience and to foster their career development. The Employment Promotion Division set up a Talent Team that provides free recruitment and job-matching services on behalf of employers and persons with disabilities and that informs the public on the employability of persons with disabilities to increase job opportunities for them. The Committee further notes that the Government holds the Award Programme for the Meritorious Disabled Employees to encourage those who have performed well. In implementing the policy of developing social enterprise to support vulnerable groups, the Government launched the scheme to finance the development of employment of persons with disabilities in March 2010. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing an evaluation of the measures taken to generate employment for vulnerable categories of workers.

Atypical forms of employment. Part-time workers. In its report, the Government states that the Executive Committee of the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs held discussions on the legal system on labour relations of the part-time workers. The Committee notes that the social partners submitted draft proposals on the legal system of part-time work to the Government. The Government has established a dedicated working group to draft a concrete report on the content. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the impact of the new legal system of part-time workers in terms of employment creation.

Promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Committee notes that the Macao Economic Services has taken measures that include the Plan for the Assistance to SMEs, Plan for the Credit Guarantees for SMEs, Plan for the Special-purpose Credit Guarantees for SMEs, Tax Incentives within the Realm of Industrial Policies, and System of Credit Interest Subsidies for Business Loans. The Committee further notes that in order to assist the SMEs to develop offshore and local markets, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (MTIPI) has taken various measures to promote SMEs. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on its efforts to promote SMEs and an evaluation of the impact of these measures on the labour market.

Vocational training and education policies. The Committee notes the policy statements during the period 2009–11 on employment policies regarding vocational training and education. The 2010 policy statement was on the Government optimizing the quality of local human resources, emphasizing upon developing talents in various fields, protecting priority of local workers in employment and improving their training and upgrading mechanism. In 2011, the Government sought to continue to promote employment, increase employability and competitiveness of Macau residents, and work towards standardization in evaluating vocational skills. The Government indicates that the economy was stable again due to readjustment efforts and development although pressures were still felt in the supply and demand of human resources. However, it indicates that structural unemployment is a persisting problem. Hence, the Labour Affairs Bureau continues to add more vacancies for training in order to meet the demands of various sectors in the labour market. The Committee notes the vocational training programmes held by the Labour Affairs Bureau between 1 June 2009 and 31 May 2011. The total number of pupils that found employment subsequently after the Apprenticeship Training Programme and the Employment Situation of the Trainees rose from 2009 (169,000 persons) to 2010 (174,000 persons). The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide updated information on these policies and measures and to provide an evaluation of the impact of these policies.