Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1991, published 78th ILC session (1991)

Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921 (No. 14) - Iraq (Ratification: 1960)

The Committee notes that the new Labour Code, Law No. 91 of 1987, covering workers employed in the private, mixed and co-operative sectors, was adopted on 27 July 1987. Under section 60 of the Code, all such workers have a right to one rest day weekly. Section 61 permits, with the agreement of the employee, work during the weekly rest day, on condition that either a premium payment of 100 per cent of wages be made for work on that day, or a compensatory day of rest be provided.

Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes that section 151 of the 1987 Labour Code repeals the previous Labour Code, Law No. 151 of 1970, which applied the Convention to all workers, without distinction between public and private sector employment. Given the numbers of industrial workers employed in the public sector, the Committee would be glad if the Government would provide information on the application of the Convention to them.

Article 5. The Committee recalls that this Article requires that provision be made as far as possible for compensatory rest days for persons working on the weekly rest day. Whereas section 67(h) of the 1970 Labour Code duly provided for workers to be granted compensatory rest, the Committee notes that under section 61 of the 1987 Code the employer may with their agreement require them to work on the rest day so long as they receive either overtime pay or a collective compensatory rest day. Please indicate how this provision works in practice, having regard to the requirements of the Convention, and describe the working of labour inspection in this connection (see Part III of the report form).