Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Greece (Ratification: 1984)

1. The Committee notes the Government's reports for the period ending June 1990 and June 1991, and the information in reply to its previous direct request. It notes that the statistics provided by OECD reports and surveys show, for the period under consideration, a slight growth in employment at an annual rate of 0.4 per cent and a stabilisation of unemployment at a rate of 7.2 per cent in 1990. However, the unemployment rate then increased rapidly to attain 8.6 per cent in 1991. The Committee notes that the employment statistics supplied by the Government refer only to the public sector and hopes that the next report will contain detailed statistical information on the level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment in the various sectors and as they affect particular categories of workers.

2. The Committee notes the employment promotion measures described by the Government. It notes the provisions respecting employment subsidies which are designed to promote the employment of categories of the population experiencing particular difficulties, such as women, young persons, the long-term unemployed and the disabled. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply information in its next report on the implementation of these provisions and assessments of their impact on the employment of the categories of workers concerned. The Committee also notes the information concerning the composition and functions of the National Council for Vocational Training and Employment (ESEKA) and the progressive establishment of vocational training and development committees responsible, at the regional and prefectural levels, for coordination between vocational training and employment. It also notes the information concerning the Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) and training establishments. Please supply further information on the training and retraining programmes that have been established and the manner in which their impact on the employment of the persons concerned is evaluated.

3. In order to enable it to make a full assessment of the manner in which an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment is applied, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply further information on its labour market policy by providing the information requested in the report form on overall and sectoral development policies and the manner in which they contribute, within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy, to the achievement of employment objectives (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention).

4. Finally, the Committee wishes to point out that the Convention provides not only for consultations with representatives of the persons affected during the formulation of employment policies, but also the collaboration of representatives of employers and workers for the implementation of these policies. Furthermore, as the Committee has already emphasized in its general survey on these instruments, consultations should also cover all aspects of employment policy which have an impact on employment. In view of these considerations, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply appropriate information on the manner in which effect is given to the provisions of Article 3, in the sense indicated above, particularly within the context of the stabilisation programme and the structural reforms formulated after the period covered by the Government's report.