Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - New Caledonia

The Committee takes notes of the information in the report of the Government of New Caledonia received in October 2011, the report of CAFAT and the appended quarterly employment bulletin.

Articles 1(3) and 2(a). General economic policy measures. The Government states that in 2010, New Caledonia had a declared workforce of 72,000, amounting to an increase of 2,000 over 2009. The number of unemployed stood at 17,000, 18 per cent of whom were long term unemployed. The Government also indicates that the temporary job sector is still particularly active, more than 1,799 temporary workers having registered in 2011 and the number of indefinite contracts having declined. The Committee notes that between 2010 and 2011, notwithstanding an increase in labour market participation as compared to 2009, the job supply rose by 22.5 per cent, exceeding the number of jobseekers, which posted a 7.4 per cent drop. Regional disparities in access to employment have not been fully resolved, since in 2010, thanks largely to the mining sector, the number of job vacancies increased by 41 per cent in the North Province while falling by 18.5 per cent in the South Province and stagnating in the Loyalty Islands, with only 34 job offers registered, i.e. 11 fewer than in 2009. The Committee notes in this connection the adoption in 2011 of the Act to promote, protect and support local employment, under which enterprises will now be required to register their job offers with the provincial placement services, the aim being to record labour availability more equitably and reduce the disparities between job supply and demand. The Committee invites the Government in its next report to provide up-to-date information on labour market trends and to indicate the impact of the measures taken to combat unemployment and promote the creation of stable, productive and high quality jobs. Please also report on the results of the measures implemented to narrow the gap between job supply and demand and to minimize regional disparities in access to employment.

Articles 1(2)(c) and 2(b). Labour market policy measures. The Government states that despite a slight increase over 2010, the number of training contracts is still low, since in the second quarter of 2011 only nine applications for permission to conclude training contracts were delivered. The number of apprenticeship contracts has risen by 9 per cent over 2010, with more than 620 such contracts having being granted since 1 January 2011. The Committee also notes that youth unemployment is still high, one out of three unemployed persons being under 30 years of age in 2011. It accordingly asks the Government to provide information on results obtained in the creation of lasting employment in the framework of contracts designed specifically to facilitate the integration of young people in the labour market, such as training contracts and apprenticeship contracts.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in formulating and implementing policies. The Committee notes the establishment of the Social Dialogue Council (CDS) in 2010, the role of which is to inform workers’ and employers’ organizations about the Government’s plans for reforms in the area of employment, and to issue opinions on labour laws and regulations and submit proposals to the Government. The Committee asks the Government in its next report to provide information on the manner in which the social partners have been associated in the formulation and implementation of measures to encourage full employment, either in the CDS or through any other consultation mechanism.