Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2011, publiée 101ème session CIT (2012)

Convention (n° 122) sur la politique de l'emploi, 1964 - Jamaïque (Ratification: 1975)

Autre commentaire sur C122

Demande directe

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Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2011 including detailed information in reply to its previous direct request. The Committee also notes the Final Draft National Employment Policy Concept Paper forwarded by the Government indicating that its forthcoming National Employment Policy, the final draft of which is to be issued in 2013, will be intent on fulfilling the outcomes of the Jamaica National Development Plan (Vision 2030), namely enabling Jamaica to attain developed status by 2030. The Government indicates that the steady impact of the global recession has led to a decline in employment since the unemployment rate increased from 11.4 per cent in 2009 to 12.4 per cent in 2010. Hence, the National Employment Policy seeks to achieve several objectives, such as developing a skilful workforce, overcoming both unemployment and underemployment, ensuring an effective social protection for workers as well as promoting decent work. The Government further indicates that businesses have difficulties remaining viable, especially in the current context of recession. Accordingly, production of Jamaica declined in 2010 by 10.3 per cent compared to 2009 and the purchasing power of the Jamaicans weakened. The annual rate of labour productivity has also been steadily decreasing at an average of 0.6 per cent over the 2005–10 period. The Committee notes that the Government tackled these very issues through several structural measures that aimed at improving the business environment, namely achieving low interest and inflation rates as well as reducing the cost of production in order to enhance enterprises’ competitiveness. The Government also reformed service delivery in the public sector, which led to the implementation of various tax incentives with a view to stimulating the economy and allowing employment growth. The Committee invites the Government to indicate to which extent the measures being currently implemented as well as its forthcoming National Employment Policy managed to reduce unemployment and foster a sustainable business environment, especially in sectors that have been affected by the economic downturn.

Active labour market measures. The Committee notes that the labour market information system was improved thanks to the enhancement of the National Employment Agency’s website; the posting of both jobs and jobseekers was increased and a skills bank was added to reduce mismatch between supply and demand, which allowed more jobseekers to find a job after consulting the official database. The Government also indicates that its forthcoming National Employment Policy will seek to ensure a reliable source of labour market information by increasing jobseekers’ ability to access employment opportunities, making the access to a database of skilled workers easier for policy makers, curriculum developers, career counsellors, employers and investors as well as implementing a proactive and pre-emptive approach to developments in the labour market. The Committee invites the Government to provide further examples in its next report as to the results of the measures being implemented in order to improve access to information for jobseekers as well as ensure the matching of labour supply and demand.

Special measures with respect to youth and women. The Committee notes that the youth unemployment rate has increased from 27.1 per cent in 2009 to 30.8 per cent in 2010. In this regard, the Government indicates that promoting youth employment is of major concern to policy makers, and that 566 youngsters registered to participate in the Special Youth Employment and Training Project in 2010–11. During that same period, 191 young persons were offered a job, while 98 received certification from HEART Trust NTA, 289 completed their mathematics and English aptitude tests and 153 were referred to the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning so as to improve their literacy and numeracy abilities. The Government further indicates that training and employment of youngsters has been steady even though the recession slightly hindered progress. Women are victims of gender bias in the work environment since they earned 88 per cent of the average salary of men in 2010. According to the labour force survey conducted in 2010, the average participation rate of women in the labour force was 54.8 per cent as opposed to 70.4 per cent for men. The Government also refers to one of the expected outcomes of the forthcoming National Employment Policy which is to increase both employment and the average earnings of women. The Committees invites the Government to include in its next report further information and evaluation data on the impact of the measures adopted to meet the employment needs of young workers.

Special measures with respect to persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that, even though their situation has improved over the last 20 years, persons with disabilities are still victims of discrimination in the work environment, as revealed by the Draft National Survey on Public Attitudes towards Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. The Committee notes that among the factors that lead to exclusion are, inter alia, a poor education, inaccessible workplaces and lower levels of experience compared to the rest of the workforce. The Government further explains that these weaknesses prevent most of the persons with disabilities from finding profitable employment. Accordingly, the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) continues to help them obtain valuable qualifications through various tertiary institutions. Sixty-one seminars and 97 sensitization sessions on disability were then held in 2010–11, 274 persons with disabilities were provided with self-help grants, 266 received assistance through the Economic and Empowerment Grant (EEG) and 62 children were placed in special schools. The Government further explains that, like the other categories of workers, persons with disabilities were also affected by the economic downturn which slightly hindered their integration. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to improve the employability of persons with disabilities.

Consultation with the social partners. The Committee notes that the institutional framework of the forthcoming National Employment Policy was developed in 2010 in close consultations with social partners. The Government indicates that the National Employment Policy integrates some of the aspects of the Decent Work Agenda, which includes promoting social dialogue through tripartite involvement to reduce industrial disputes and increase productivity. The Committee further notes that the lead responsibility in implementing the National Employment Policy lies with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS). Together with various stakeholders including government ministries, non-governmental organizations and key private sector bodies, the MLSS will be in charge of developing strategies, outcomes and indicators through a series of bimonthly consultations and workshops that will be held from July 2011 to June 2013. A National Employment Policy Technical Committee, composed of members of the Line Ministries, trade unions, government agencies and private sector bodies, is also to be set up in order to guide the policy process. The Committee would welcome receiving examples of the measures that were taken as a result of the effective consultation with the social partners, notably within the scope of its forthcoming National Employment Policy.