Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150) - Namibia (Ratification: 1996)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report received in November 2006 in reply to the Committee’s previous comments. Noting that a new labour code was to be adopted and implemented in 2007, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide a copy of this code if it was indeed adopted or, if not, to indicate the measures taken to this effect or the difficulties encountered.

Article 5. Tripartite consultation, cooperation and negotiation within the system of labour administration at national, regional and local level. The Committee notes that the Social Security Commission Board is composed of tripartite representation and that the core business of this Commission is to gather funds for the social protection of workers and their dependants on the basis of the principle of solidarity. This protection is provided in the areas of maternity leave, sick leave, death, work-related disabilities, injuries and loss of employment. The Committee notes with interest that the representatives nominated by the Government to take part in this Commission, as well as those nominated by the trade unions and the employers, must include at least one woman. The Government is asked to provide details on the extent of this Commission’s role and copies of extracts of reports on its work, together with any other document concerning the follow-up given to the consultations held within the Commission.

The Committee also notes with interest that a high-level delegation headed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare has visited a number of regions in the country to assess labour relations and that it has held numerous tripartite consultation meetings where employers and workers were given the opportunity to raise their concerns in respect of labour administration. The Government also refers to other visits of the same type. Moreover, it states that the Minister of Labour has arranged meetings with the top management of state-owned enterprises to discuss issues in the field of employment and labour. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the issues addressed at these meetings and the follow-up given to them in law and in practice, if any.

Article 6, paragraph 2(b), of the Convention. The Committee notes with interest that, according to the Government, the Directorate for Labour Market Information is responsible for collecting, analysing and disseminating all labour-related information and that the statistics which it provides allow for the analysis of employment, underemployment and unemployment in order to assist with the formulation of appropriate policies. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide a copy of the most recent labour force survey which it says is conducted at regular intervals.

Article 7. Noting the Government’s indication that, under section 20, paragraph 2, of the Social Security Act, 1994 (Act No. 34 of 1994), self-employed persons may register themselves with the social security authorities, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether there are any plans for categories of workers such as those listed in paragraphs (a)–(d) to receive benefits under other areas of labour administration activity. If so, the Government is requested to provide information in this respect.

Article 10. Human resources and material means of the labour administration system. Noting that the Directorate for Labour Services was in the process of revising its structure, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on any developments in respect of the restructuring process and the number of administration staff (number, grade, specialized field, geographical distribution, etc.) and to indicate, if possible, the proportion of the national budget allocated to the running of the labour administration system.