Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Uruguay (Ratification: 1977)

Articles 1–3 of the Convention. Implementation of the employment policy. Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates in its report that the growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – 4.4 per cent in 2013 and 3.4 per cent in 2014 – was accompanied by commensurate growth in employment. The Committee notes that the national employment rate increased by 0.9 percentage points between 2013 and 2014, reaching 60.4 per cent. In 2014, the number of persons in employment grew by 2.2 per cent over the previous year, corresponding to the creation of 36,000 jobs. Commerce and manufacturing were the sectors with the highest employment rates. The Government indicates that in 2014, women’s unemployment stood at 8.4 per cent, higher than the 5.1 per cent rate recorded for men. The Committee notes that between 2012 and 2014, the employment rate of young people under 25 years of age remained stable, at approximately 39 per cent. Although in recent years the unemployment rate by age has dropped among both young people and adults, the Government indicates that in 2014, the unemployment rate of young persons under 25 years of age was almost four times higher than that of adults 25 years of age and over (19.4 per cent as opposed to 4.2 per cent). The unemployment rate among young women is still high. According to the Government, around 24 per cent of economically active young women (under 25 years of age) remained unemployed in 2014. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to promote employment in the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy. Please also provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to promote labour market entry for young people, with particular attention to young women. Please also continue to provide statistical data on labour market trends, including data on the employment situation of persons belonging to vulnerable groups and sectors. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to report on consultations held with the social partners and other sectors affected with a view to developing and implementing employment policies and programmes.

Workers in the informal economy. The Government draws attention to the continuing downward trend in underemployment and informality in 2014 and considers that these tendencies are indicative of an improvement in job quality. The Government indicates, however, that one quarter of workers in employment still have no social security coverage, most of them being self-employed. The Committee requests the Government to provide up-to-date information on the integration of informal economy workers into the formal labour market. Please also indicate the measures taken or envisaged to increase the number of contributors to social security, particularly among self-employed workers.

Promotion of cooperatives. The Government indicates that since 2011, the National Cooperative Institute (INACOOP) has had an inter-institutional network whose task is to formulate a public policy on social economy and cooperativism. In the context of the network, a cooperative development management model has been implemented. The Government also refers to the adoption of measures to facilitate access to funding for small and micro-enterprises and work cooperatives. The Committee notes in this context that INACOOP has two basic tools for its work, the Promotion and Education Fund (FOMCOOP) and the Special Revolving Fund (FRECOOP), to finance projects for cooperative development, which are funded jointly by the State and the cooperatives themselves. The Committee also notes that the National Public Education Department has developed training programmes on cooperatives and cooperation in the formal education system, designed for teachers in general and teachers in the Teaching Training Centres across the country, the aim being to produce a module on cooperatives in the three education subsystems. The Government also reports a number of legislative amendments and proposals, including a bill to update the Regulatory Decree of the Cooperatives Act and a proposal on the recognition and promotion of social economies and solidarity in the country. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to encourage the creation and promotion of employment by cooperatives, including information on the formulation and adoption of proposals and amendments regarding the legislation on cooperatives.