Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150) - Benin (Ratification: 2001)

1. Strengthening the capacities of the system of labour administration with ILO support. The Committee notes with interest that, according to the information available, following an institutional survey on labour administration in 1999, the technical assistance provided by the ILO made it possible in particular to strengthen the management training of the secretaries-general of the ministries responsible for labour administration, to give a fresh boost to labour inspection activities, to institute the keeping of an inventory of enterprises in each labour inspection department and to carry out an annual programme of inspection visits.

2. Formulation of a national labour policy. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the ILO support also assisted the process of formulating a national policy, which is still under way, and particularly that the provisions of the Convention relating to coordination between the various stakeholders in the system of labour administration are already being applied.

3. Article 3 of the Convention. Direct negotiations between employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee notes that section 55 of the General Collective Labour Agreement of 17 May 1974 gives effect to this provision of the Convention, which provides that activities in the field of national labour policy may be regarded as being matters which are regulated by having recourse to direct negotiations between employers’ and workers’ organizations. Under this text, any collective dispute which arises within an enterprise or establishment will be the subject initially of consultation between management and representatives of the staff and, in the event of disagreement, the dispute will be brought before a joint committee, formed within and operating within the enterprise.

The Committee is addressing a request regarding certain points directly to the Government.