In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of the ratified Conventions on working time, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Conventions Nos 1, 14, 30 and 106 in a single comment.

The Committee notes the observations of the Confederation of Public and Private Sector Workers (CTSP), received on 29 August 2018, the Association of Haitian Industries (ADIH), received on 31 August 2018, and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), received on 1 September 2018.

Follow-up to the conclusions of the Committee on the Application of Standards (International Labour Conference, 107th Session, May–June 2018)

The Committee notes the discussion which took place in the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards (Conference Committee), including with regard to the impact of the 2017 Act to organizing and regulating work over a 24-period divided into three segments of eight hours (hereinafter: Act on working time) on the application of the ratified Conventions on working time. In its conclusions, the Conference Committee asked the Government to: (i) review in consultation with the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations the conformity of the Labour Code and the Act on working time, with respect to the ratified ILO Conventions on working time; (ii) strengthen the labour inspectorate and other relevant enforcement mechanisms to ensure that workers benefit from the protection afforded by the Conventions; (iii) report to the Committee of Experts on these measures; and (iv) avail itself of technical assistance to address these matters.

The Committee notes that, at the end of the discussion in the Conference Committee, the Government recalled that the Conventions that Haiti had ratified were part of its body of domestic law under article 276-2 of the Constitution of Haiti, and took precedence over national laws in the hierarchy of standards and could be invoked without reserve before the courts. Taking note of the observations of the Committee of Experts concerning the application of the Act on working time, the Government indicated that it was planning to hold tripartite consultations to identify and overcome the main difficulties encountered in the application of the Act, and to issue orders or regulations. The Government also indicated that it was aware of the delay in finalizing the process of reforming the Labour Code. Discussions had begun at the level of the Prime Minister’s Office and would be continued within a tripartite framework, in the spirit of the San José Agreement of 21 March 2018 signed by the social partners, taking into account the Office’s recommendations.

Furthermore, the Committee notes that the CTSP, in its observations, expresses regret at the lack of progress on working time issues since the discussion in the Conference Committee. However, the CTSP indicates that discussions on the reform of the Labour Code have resumed. The Committee also notes that the ADIH confirms that tripartite discussions on the reform of the Labour Code resumed in August 2018. According to the ADIH, the Act on working time should be repealed and the employers’ and workers’ organizations should be consulted on the application of the Conventions ratified in this field. The Committee further notes that the ITUC refers to the discussion of the case during the Conference Committee and indicates in particular that: (i) the Act on working time, which liberalizes the regulations on this subject, is giving rise to serious abuses; (ii) the Act was adopted without consultation and outside the process of negotiation of a new Labour Code; and (iii) the situation is aggravated by the lack of resources for labour inspection. The ITUC refers in particular to: (i) workers in the informal economy and in domestic work who are subjected to indecent working conditions in terms of both working time and leave entitlement; (ii) security personnel and subcontracted workers in the textile sector, where there is a regrettable lack of fixed working hours and a refusal by employers to pay overtime; and (iii) workers in export processing zones who are particularly subjected to abuses. The Committee requests the Government to send its comments on all the above observations.

Lastly, the Committee notes the Government’s communication received on 30 October 2018 in which it informs the Committee that, further to the conclusions of the Conference Committee, it has requested ILO technical assistance to help it, inter alia, to submit the reports due, to strengthen the inspection services, to consolidate social dialogue with a view to pursuing social reforms, and to address the other matters raised by the Conference Committee. The Government also indicates that it hopes to receive this assistance before the next session of the International Labour Conference. The Committee hopes that this technical assistance will be made available without delay. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the results of the planned technical assistance, and also on the measures taken to ensure the effective application in law and practice of the ratified Conventions on working time.

[The Government is asked to reply in full to the present comments in 2020.]