Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Argentina (Ratification: 1956)

1. Contribution of the employment services to employment promotion. In relation to its observation of 2004, the Government indicates that, by means of Ministerial Decision No. 176 of March 2005, an Employment Services Unit has been established, the objectives of which include introducing a system for the establishment and strengthening of institutions providing employment services, assisting the provincial services involved in the management of the Federal Employment Services Network and providing technical assistance to local employment offices belonging to government institutions or civil society organizations with a view to diversifying and improving the quality of the services provided. The Committee notes the increase of 2.4 per cent in the employed population between the first quarter of 2004 and the first quarter of 2005 (the creation of 312,000 jobs in urban areas throughout the country) and that the unemployment rate fell from 14.4 per cent to 13 per cent over the same period, according to data provided by the Government in its report on the Unemployment Convention, 1919 (No. 2). The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information on the results achieved through the establishment of the Employment Services Unit in achieving the best possible organization of the employment market, so as to meet the new requirements of the economy and the active population (Articles 1 and 3 of the Convention).

2. Cooperation of the social partners. The Government indicates that the General Employment Promotion Plan creates a space in which the views of employers, trade unions and training and development institutes can be integrated in relation to labour, employment and production issues. The Committee notes with interest the sectoral agreements concluded between the Ministry of Labour and the social partners in specific productive sectors (textiles, construction, ceramics, metallurgy and mechanics, etc.), both at the national level and at the provincial and local levels with a view to promoting employment. The Committee refers once again to the provisions of Articles 4 and 5 of the Convention and would be grateful if the Government would provide information in its next report on the manner in which the representatives of the social partners may have been associated with the Federal Employment Services Network. For many years, the Committee has been pointing out that the above provisions of the Convention require the establishment of advisory committees to secure the full cooperation of representatives of employers and workers in the organization and operation of the employment service.

3. Strengthening of employment services through technical cooperation. The Committee notes with interest the information provided in the Government’s report on the AREA project, in which the ILO and the Government of Italy are also participating. The AREA project, which is planned for three years (2004-06), covers seven regions. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information in its next report on the manner in which this project has contributed to the strengthening of the free public employment service. The Committee hopes that the Government’s next report will also include statistical information on the number of public employment offices established, the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified and the number of persons placed in employment by such offices (Part IV of the report form).