Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921 (No. 14) - Greenland

The Committee notes the Government’s report and the information contained in its reply to previous comments.

Articles 4 and 6 of the Convention. The Committee notes that sections 42, 43 and 44 of the Act of 4 June 1986 on the working environment in Greenland provide for the possibility of derogations from the provisions of section 41, which requires the granting to the worker of a day of rest in the course of each period of seven days. It further notes from the Government’s information that no agreement on derogations have been concluded by the "Landsstyret and any organization". The Committee asks the Government to clarify what kind of authority and organizations are meant by these terms. It points out that under Article 4 of the Convention exceptions from the principle of the minimum rest period provided for under Article 2 of the Convention may only be authorized after consultation with the responsible associations of employers and workers. It requests the Government to continue to provide information on any authorization of exceptions and to communicate a list of the exceptions, according to Article 6 of the Convention.

Article 7. The Committee notes the Government’s view that it sees no need to require the employer to make weekly rest known to workers by means of notices or a roster, since each staff member was informed on weekly rest days and hours. It recalls that, according to this Article, each employer should be obliged: (a) where weekly rest is given to the whole of the staff collectively, to give certain notice of weekly rest periods in an approved manner; and (b) where the rest period is not granted to the whole of the staff collectively, to make known, by means of a roster, drawn up in accordance with the method approved by national legislation, or by a regulation of the competent authority, the workers subject to a special system of rest and to indicate that system. The Committee accordingly requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to bring its legislation and practice into conformity with the Convention in this respect.

Parts III and V of the report form. The Government is requested to provide any available information on the practical application of the Convention, including the activities of the Greenland Labour Inspection, as required by the report form.