Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Antigua and Barbuda (Ratification: 1983)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request:

Article 2, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the Convention. The Committee previously noted that amendments to the Labour Code of 1975 were under examination since 1987, to bring the minimum age for admission to employment or work (presently 14 years) under section E3 of the Labour Code, read in conjunction with section E2, into conformity with its declaration appended to its ratification, in which the Government had specified a minimum age of 16 years. The Committee noted the Government's indication that the proposed amendments were being re-examined in the light of current developments, and that the enactment is expected to take place in 1997 at the latest. It requests the Government to supply information on any progress made in this regard.

Article 4, paragraph 2. The Committee noted the Government's indication that the position of the national law and practice has not changed in respect of the categories of young people excluded from the application of the Convention (section E3 of the Labour Code), i.e. such categories as those in any undertaking or shop in which only members of the same family are employed, and a child who is working together with adult members of his family on the same work and at the same time and place. The Committee requests the Government to indicate in future reports any changes in law and practice in respect of these categories excluded.