Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Egypt (Ratification: 1982)

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its reports received in 1985 and 1989 in reply to its previous comments. It would be grateful if the Government would supply additional information on the following points:

Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 2(a), of the Convention. The Committee notes with interest the recommendations resulting from the study evaluating the effectiveness of the education programme for nursing care. It requests the Government to supply information on any measures taken to give effect to these recommendations. In particular, it requests the Government to provide information on the progress made on its four-year plan to up-date the education programme for nursing care, which is being elaborated with the help of the United Nations.

Article 2, paragraph 2(b). The Committee notes from the Government's report that the study undertaken to establish a grading structure for posts occupied by nursing personnel is still being prepared. It requests the Government to provide information, in its next report, of any progress made in this regard as well as any measures taken as a result so as to ensure that nursing personnel enjoy career prospects and remuneration commensurate with their level of responsibilities and likely to attract persons to the profession and retain them in it, in accordance with this provision of the Convention.

Article 5, paragraph 1. In reply to the Committee's comments regarding the participation of nursing personnel in the planning of nursing services and consultation with such personnel on decisions concerning them, in conformity with the above provisions of the Convention, the Government indicates that such participation is ensured by virtue of Acts Nos. 47 and 48 of 1978 concerning, respectively, personnel in the public administration and personnel in the public sector and that, in practice, the system of participation set out in this legislation is also applicable to nursing personnel in the private sector. It adds that nursing personnel are also associated with decisions concerning them at the level of their establishments. The Committee notes this information and requests the Government to indicate whether the participation and consultation of nursing personnel in the private sector in decisions concerning them, which is assured in practice, is also guaranteed by legal provisions or regulations. If so, please indicate which provisions.

Article 5, paragraph 2. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether the trade union for nursing personnel set up by Act No. 115 of 1976 continues to be in operation and, if so, whether it participates in negotiations on the terms and conditions of employment of this personnel, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.

Article 5, paragraph 3: (a) In its previous comments, the Committee noted, from information supplied by the Government, that the procedure for settling disputes that occur as regards determining the terms and conditions of employment, as set out in the Labour Code, is applicable to nursing personnel not only in the private sector, but also in the public sector by virtue of Act No. 33 of 1982, which amended the Labour Code. The Committee once again requests the Government to supply a copy of this Act, and fuller information on the settlement of labour disputes affecting nursing personnel in the public administration who, according to the Government's report, have the right of appeal to the courts.

(b) The Committee has also noted that the Labour Code sets up a system of compulsory arbitration for the settlement of disputes. It recalls, however, that this Article of the Convention provides that disputes be settled in such a manner as to ensure the confidence of the parties involved through independent and impartial machinery such as mediation, conciliation and voluntary arbitration. It requests once again the Government to indicate the way by which the guarantees provided for in the Convention are provided under the system of compulsory arbitration set up by the Labour Code.

Point V of the report form. The Committee has noted the statistical data supplied with the 1988 report and hopes that the Government will continue to supply such statistics and will also be able to provide data relating to the number of persons leaving the profession.