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Repetition In order to provide an overview of all the issues relating to the application of the ratified Conventions on working time, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Convention No. 52 (annual holidays with pay) and Convention No. 89 (night work of women) in a single comment. The Committee notes the observations of the Workers Confederation of Comoros (CTTC) on the implementation of Convention No. 52, received in 2018.Annual holidays with pay Article 2 of Convention No. 52. Annual holidays with pay. Application in practice. The Committee notes that, according to the CTTC, the provisions of the Labour Code and the General Public Service Regulations recognizing the right to annual leave paid by the employer, at the rate of two and a half calendar days per month of effective service, are not always respected and that, as a result, a number of employees, including contract workers, do not enjoy their right to annual leave. The Committee requests the Government to reply to these observations.Night work of women Article 3 of Convention No. 89. Night work of women. The Committee notes that night work of women is not prohibited in the Comoros. Recalling that the Convention will be open for denunciation between 27 February 2021 and 27 February 2022, the Committee encourages the Government to consider its denunciation. It also draws the Government’s attention to the Night Work Convention, 1990 (No. 171), which is not devised as a gender-specific instrument, but focuses on the protection of all those working at night.
Repetition In order to provide an overview of all the issues relating to the application of the ratified Conventions on working time, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Convention No. 52 (annual holidays with pay) and Convention No. 89 (night work of women) in a single comment. The Committee notes the observations of the Workers Confederation of Comoros (CTTC) on the implementation of Convention No. 52, received in 2018.Annual holidays with payArticle 2 of Convention No. 52. Annual holidays with pay. Application in practice. The Committee notes that, according to the CTTC, the provisions of the Labour Code and the General Public Service Regulations recognizing the right to annual leave paid by the employer, at the rate of two and a half calendar days per month of effective service, are not always respected and that, as a result, a number of employees, including contract workers, do not enjoy their right to annual leave.The Committee requests the Government to reply to these observations.Night work of womenArticle 3 of Convention No. 89. Night work of women. The Committee notes that night work of women is not prohibited in the Comoros. Recalling that the Convention will be open for denunciation between 27 February 2021 and 27 February 2022, the Committee encourages the Government to consider its denunciation. It also draws the Government’s attention to the Night Work Convention, 1990 (No. 171), which is not devised as a gender-specific instrument, but focuses on the protection of all those working at night.
Repetition Article 2(1) and (4) of the Convention. Deferral of the annual paid holiday. For many years, the Committee has been commenting on the need to adopt provisions giving full effect to Article 2(1) and (4) of the Convention. In its report, the Government indicates once again that the Bill revising the Labour Code stipulates, under section 151, that workers may opt to accumulate their paid annual leave for two consecutive years, provided that at least six working days of the accumulated period of holidays are taken each year. The Committee hopes that the Bill on the new Labour Code will be adopted in the very near future and requests the Government to provide a copy of the text as soon as it is adopted. Article 2(3). Exclusion of holidays and interruptions of work due to sickness from the calculation of paid annual leave. Further to its previous observations on this point, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Bill revising the Labour Code stipulates that interruptions of work due to sickness are not counted as part of paid annual leave. According to the Government’s report, section 143 of this Bill states that “for the purposes of calculating the duration of holiday entitlement, regular absences for occupational accidents or diseases, as well as rest periods for women giving birth and in mourning, provided for under section 142, shall be assimilated to one month of effective service; and within the limit of six months, the interruptions shall not be deducted from the number of days of annual holiday granted to the worker”. The Committee notes that, under this section, the absences listed are assimilated to periods of effective service giving entitlement to holiday. It nevertheless recalls that Article 2(3) of the Convention refers to days of leave that may not be included in annual holiday with pay, and not to the calculation of the period of effective service giving entitlement to leave; it rather provides that public holidays and interruptions of attendance at work due to sickness may not be deducted from the number of days of leave granted to the worker. The Committee trusts that the Government will take all the necessary measures in the very near future to adopt the legislative provisions giving full effect to this Article of the Convention. Article 4. Invalidity of agreements to relinquish the right to an annual holiday with pay, or to forgo such a holiday. The Committee notes that the Bill revising the Labour Code, submitted to the Office in 2010 for comment, contains no provision giving effect to Article 4 of the Convention which stipulates that agreements relinquishing the right to an annual holiday with pay, or forgoing such a holiday, are void. The Committee observes moreover that a provision of this nature is reflected in section 130 of the Code at present in force. It therefore requests the Government to indicate the measures, either taken or envisaged, in order to give full effect to this Article of the Convention.Article 6. Entitlement to compensation for paid leave upon termination of a contract. The Committee notes that, under section 130 of the Labour Code in force, compensation for paid leave may be granted to a worker unable to benefit from annual leave before the termination of the contract. It nevertheless notes that the Bill for revising the Labour Code does not take up this provision. The Committee requests the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the Labour Code, in its revised version, will provide for compensation for workers who terminate their employment relationship before having taken leave.
Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 4, of the Convention. Deferral of the annual paid holiday. Further to its previous observation, the Committee notes the Government’s explanations that in the context of the current process of revision of the Labour Code, a new draft provision is being considered which would continue to allow for the accumulation of the annual holidays for two consecutive years, provided that at least six working days of the accumulated period of holidays are taken each year. The Committee hopes that the revised Labour Code will give full effect to the requirements of the Convention with respect to the postponement of holidays on which the Committee has been commenting for the past 20 years. The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of the new text as soon as it is adopted.
Article 2, paragraph 3(b). Interruptions of attendance at work due to sickness not to be included in the annual leave. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the revised Labour Code is expected to include a new section which will expressly provide that absences for sickness duly certified by an approved doctor may not be deducted from the number of days of annual holidays granted to the worker. The Committee hopes that the revised Labour Code will effectively align the national legislation with the Convention on this point on which the Committee formulates comments since 1987. The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of the new text as soon as it is adopted.
Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 4, of the Convention. Deferral of the annual paid holiday. The Committee recalls that, since the adoption of the Labour Code in 1984, it has been making comments on the application of these provisions of the Convention. The Committee accordingly noted section 132(3) of the Labour Code, under the terms of which workers may opt to take accumulated holidays in respect of two consecutive years. It also emphasized that, in accordance with the Convention, every person to whom the Convention applies is entitled to an annual holiday with pay of at least six working days and that only the part of the holiday which exceeds this minimum duration may be deferred. The Committee notes that in its last report the Government confines itself to indicating that measures have been taken to further examine the conformity of the provisions of the Labour Code with the Convention and that the amended texts will be provided once they have been adopted. It further notes that, in its 2001 report, the Government was already indicating that a draft text to bring the Labour Code into conformity with the Convention would be submitted in the near future to the Legislative Council after consultations with the social partners in the context of the Higher Labour and Employment Council (CSTE). The Committee trusts that the Government will take the necessary measures without further ado to bring the Labour Code into conformity with the Convention on this point.
Article 2, paragraph 3(b). Interruptions of work due to sickness. Further to its previous comments on this point, the Committee notes the Government’s indications that, under section 126(3) of the Labour Code, interruptions of work due to sickness are not counted as part of annual leave. In this respect, the Committee notes that section 126(3) provides that “for the purposes of calculating the duration of holiday entitlement, regular absences for occupational accidents or diseases shall be assimilated to effective service … as well as, within the limit of six months, absences for sickness duly certified by an approved doctor.” It draws the Government’s attention to the fact that this provision covers the inclusion of interruptions of work due to sickness in the calculation of the period of effective service giving entitlement to holiday, whereas Article 2, paragraph 3(b), of the Convention provides that such interruptions may not be deducted from the number of days of annual holiday granted to the worker. These two situations are also very clearly distinguished in Article 5, paragraph 4, and Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Holidays with Pay Convention (Revised), 1970 (No. 132), which the Government has not yet ratified. The Committee trusts that the Government will amend the Labour Code without further ado so as to ensure that interruptions of work due to sickness are not included in the annual holiday with pay granted to workers.
Part V of the report form. The Committee requests the Government to provide a general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice including, for instance, extracts from the reports of the inspection services and, if such statistics are available, information concerning the number of workers covered by the relevant legislation, the number and nature of the contraventions reported and the measures adopted to bring an end to them, etc.
The Committee also takes this opportunity to recall that, at the proposal of the Working Party on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards, the ILO Governing Body considered that the Convention was outdated and invited the States parties to the Convention to contemplate ratifying Convention No. 132, which is not considered as being fully up to date but remains relevant in certain respects (see document GB.283/LILS/WP/PRS/1/2, paragraph 12). The acceptance of the obligations of Convention No. 132 in respect of persons employed in economic sectors other than agriculture by a State party to Convention No. 52 involves ipso jure the immediate denunciation of the latter Convention. The Committee requests the Government to keep the Office informed of any decision that it may take with regard to the ratification of Convention No. 132.
The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:
The Committee notes that draft amendments were to be introduced for discussion in the Legal Council shortly after the meeting of the High Council on Work and Employment, which took place in September 2001, to bring section 132(2) of the Labour Code of 1984 into conformity with Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 2, and Article 4 of the Convention, and to bring section 126(3) into conformity with Article 2, paragraph 3(b).
Referring to its previous comments, the Committee again expresses the hope that the Government will soon be in the position to present substantial results ensuring that every person to whom the Convention applies shall be entitled to an annual holiday with pay of at least six working days (Article 2, paragraph 1, and Article 4 of the Convention) and that, consequently, only the part of the holiday which exceeds the minimum duration may be postponed (Article 2, paragraph 4). It further hopes that any illness occurring during holidays shall be excluded from the calculation of annual holidays with pay (Article 2, paragraph 3(b)). Please forward a copy of the corrective legislative measures as soon as they have been adopted.
The Committee notes the Government’s report. It takes note of the observations sent by the Union of Autonomous Comoran Workers’ Organizations (USATC) enclosed with the report and the Government’s comments in reply to them.
The USATC indicates that the Convention is not applied in several sectors of activity, which it cites, where paid leave is not granted. The Government states in reply that the difficulty of ensuring effective labour inspection facilitates infringements, but that the latter are nonetheless rare. It also seeks technical assistance from the ILO in brining its legislation into line with the provisions of the Convention.
The Committee hopes that the Government will be in a position to inform it in its next report that real progress has been made in this area and that account will be taken of the Committee’s earlier comments, which raised the following points.
Article 2(1) and (4) and Article 4 of the Convention. In previous comments, the Committee noted that, under section 132, paragraph 2, of the Labour Code of 1984, workers may opt to take accumulated holidays in respect of two consecutive years. The Committee notes the Government’s reply in its report that the Higher Labour Council which has just been established will examine problems linked with labour regulation in general. The Committee recalls that, under the Convention, every person to whom the Convention applies shall be entitled to an annual holiday with pay of at least six working days (Article 2(1) and Article 4 of the Convention) and that, consequently, only the part of the holiday which exceeds the minimum duration may be postponed (Article 2(4)). It hopes that the Government will indicate the measures taken or envisaged to bring legislation into conformity with the Convention on this point.
Article 2(3)(b). The Committee had noted previously that, under section 126, paragraph 3, of the Labour Code, in the calculation of holiday duration, absences due to occupational accident or disease and due to certified illness (for up to six months) are regarded as actual service. It noted the Government’s statement that, although occupational illness occurring during holidays falls within section 126, paragraph 3, and is accordingly regarded as actual service in the calculation of holidays due, no such provision at present exists concerning other illness occurring during holidays. Noting that the Government states that it wishes to provide specific information in its next report on the subject of section 126, paragraph 3, of the Labour Code, the Committee hopes that this information will apply to measures taken or envisaged to implement this provision of the Convention.
The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:
Article 2(1) of the Convention. In previous comments, the Committee noted that, under section 132, paragraph 2, of the Labour Code of 1984, workers may opt to take accumulated holidays in respect of two consecutive years, whereas, under this provision of the Convention a holiday of at least six working days should be taken each year. The Committee notes the Government's response that it will take the necessary measures to harmonize national legislation with the Convention. It hopes the next report will include details.
Article 2(3)(b). The Committee recalls that, in the calculation of holiday rights, absences due to occupational accident or disease and - for up to six months - due to certified illness are regarded as actual service (section 126, paragraph 3, of the Labour Code). It notes the Government's statement that, although occupational illness occurring during holidays falls within section 126, paragraph 3, and is accordingly regarded as actual service in the calculation of holiday due, as concerns other illness occurring during holidays no such provision at present exists. The Committee further notes the Government's indication that the labour inspection services have not indicated that this matter poses a problem in practice. The Committee hopes the Government will consider taking action to give effect in law to this provision of the Convention and that information in this regard will be provided with the next report.
Furthermore, the Committee requests the Government to supply with its next report copies of the text to which it refers in its last report, namely Order No. 58-129/ITC of 6 June 1958.
1. Article 2(1) and (4) and Article 4 of the Convention. In previous comments, the Committee noted that under section 132, paragraph 2, of the Labour Code of 1984, workers may opt to take accumulated holidays in respect of two consecutive years. The Committee notes the Government's reply in its report that the Higher Labour Council which has just been established will examine problems linked with labour regulation in general. The Committee recalls that under the Convention every person to whom the Convention applies shall be entitled to an annual holiday with pay of at least six working days (Article 2(1) and Article 4 of the Convention) and that, consequently, only the part of the holiday which exceeds the minimum duration may be postponed (Article 2(4)). It hopes that the Government will indicate the measures taken or envisaged to bring legislation into conformity with the Convention on this point.
2. Article 2(3)(b). The Committee had noted previously that under section 126, paragraph 3, of the Labour Code, in the calculation of holiday rights absences due to occupational accident or disease and - for up to six months - due to certified illness are regarded as actual service. It noted the Government's statement that, although occupational illness occurring during holidays falls within section 126, paragraph 3, and is accordingly regarded as actual service in the calculation of holidays due, no such provision at present exists concerning other illness occurring during holidays. Noting that the Government states that it wishes to provide specific information in its next report on the subject of section 126, paragraph 3, of the Labour Code, the Committee hopes that this information will apply to measures taken or envisaged to implement this provision of the Convention.
Article 2(1) of the Convention. In previous comments, the Committee noted that, under section 132, paragraph 2, of the Labour Code of 1984, workers may opt to take accumulated holidays in respect of two consecutive years, whereas, under this provision of the Convention a holiday of at least six working days should be taken each year. The Committee notes the Government's response that it will take the necessary measures to harmonise national legislation with the Convention. It hopes the next report will include details.
Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee notes that under section 132, paragraph 2, of the Labour Code of 1984, workers may opt to take their accumulated holidays in respect of two consecutive years, whereas, in accordance with this provision of the Convention, a holiday of at least six working days shall be taken each year. The Committee hopes that the Government will take the necessary measures in the near future to bring national legislation into conformity with the Convention in this respect.
Article 2, paragraph 3(b). Although noting that under section 126, paragraph 3, of the Labour Code, absences due to industrial injuries and diseases are regarded as actual service in the calculation of the number of days holiday due, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether such absences which occur during the holidays are deducted from annual paid leave.
Furthermore, the Committee requests the Government to supply with its next report copies of the texts to which it refers in its last report, namely the collective agreement and Order No. 58-129-IT/C of 6 June 1958, to make rules for the grant of annual leave with pay.