Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Georgia (Ratification: 1993)

1. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention. From the information contained in this detailed report, it notes that the establishment of a socially oriented market economy is a priority for the social and economic development of the country. It further notes that the 2002-03 Programme of Cooperation between the ILO and the Government of Georgia states that at the time of elaboration of the state employment policy and of planning the concrete measures according to this policy, the ILO and social partners in Georgia will be guided by the principles and regulations of Convention No. 122. Employment also figures as the first of the measures to be implemented by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection in the Matrix of Social and Economic Policy of the 2000 Poverty Reduction and Economic Growth Programme (PREGP) of Georgia. The Committee would appreciate continuing to receive in the Government’s reports further indications on the design of an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment (Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention). Please also provide information on the effects noted or expected on employment as a result of implementation of the PREGP of Georgia.

2. Article 1, paragraph 3, and Article 2(a) of the Convention. In its report, the Government recognizes the distortions in the labour market and the difficulties confronting it. The share of the Georgian population below the poverty line reached 60 per cent in 1999, with more than 2.5 million citizens living on less than US$2 per day. The high level of unemployment contributes to the high poverty rate. The Committee asks the Government to provide information in its next report on decision-making procedures and on employment policy measures, and on how they are reviewed regularly within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy.

3. The Committee trusts that the Government will also provide in its next report information on regional or local employment programmes implemented with a view to promoting full employment. Please provide information on the impact on employment of the modernization of the transport system, and legislative measures taken in order to encourage entrepreneurship and reintegration to the labour market of the workers affected by privatization. Please also include information on the promotion of productive rural employment.

4. Article 3. The Government provides information in its report on the establishment of a National Employment Council whose functions would cover, among others, providing an expert opinion and initiating national, regional, special and sectoral employment programmes. A special commission has been set up, and has started functioning within the Ministry of Labour, whose functions include the conclusion of general and sectoral agreements between the social partners. The Government states its attachment to relations and active cooperation between the social partners. The Committee would appreciate receiving more details on the National Employment Council. Please also indicate how the social partners and other persons concerned are involved in the process of the elaboration and implementation of the PREGP.

5. Collection and analysis of statistics. The Committee notes that, according to data from the State Department of Statistics, the unemployment rate in Georgia reached 12.6 per cent in September 2000. The number of people registered in the unemployment centres reached 116,900, which represents a 13.8 per cent increase over the previous year. It further notes that regular publication of statistical data and materials is envisaged by the Employment Act. In its report, the Government regrets that no systematic study of the labour market in Georgia has been undertaken so far either for the country as a whole or at a regional level. The Committee recalls that the collection of data and analysis of the labour market should be the basis for the formulation of employment policy, which should be decided and kept under review within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy. The Committee hopes that in its next report the Government will further describe measures taken in this respect.

6. Education and training. The Committee refers to its 2003 direct request on the application of the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), and requests the Government to include in its next report information on measures adopted to coordinate education and training policies with prospective employment opportunities.

7. Employment service. The Government indicates in its report that the operation of the employment service was transferred in full to the Central State Employment Fund. The Committee would appreciate receiving in the Government’s next report information on the operation of the Central State Employment Fund and the impact of the employment services to provide assistance to job search, training and retraining or public work programmes for unemployed workers.

8. The Government indicates in its report that the current economic crisis has been so profound and comprehensive that it has resulted in a wide gap between workforce supply and demand. It also reports that there has been massive emigration (with 800,000 persons emigrating, mostly to the Russian Federation) such that the country is losing highly qualified specialists of prime working age. Because of emigration, the number of those who join the workforce each year is decreasing: the labour force in 1991-98 declined from 3,161,000 to 3,034,000, with the number of men dropping by 7 per cent while the number of women dropped by 1.5 per cent. Women workers now make up 51.8 per cent of the labour force. The gender and age structure of the economically active population, its professional and qualification composition and the pattern of mobility have all been distorted. The Committee refers to its 2002 direct request on the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), and requests that the Government refer, in its next report on the application of Convention No. 122, to the measures taken to promote employment of vulnerable categories of persons (such as women, migrant workers, unqualified workers and self-employed persons).