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

Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150) - Zambia (Ratification: 1980)

The Committee notes that, according to the Government, statutory instruments Nos 56 and 57 of 2006 have been revised and replaced by statutory instruments Nos 1, 2 and 3 of 2011 covering workers in the formal sector and domestic workers in the informal sector. It also notes the information sent by the Government to the effect that a survey on the labour force for 2005 has been completed and another is ongoing for 2008. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would send a copy of these new statutory instruments. Furthermore, the Committee asks the Government once again to provide a copy of the survey referred to in its report.

Articles 2 and 9 of the Convention. The Government refers in its report to the objective of creating private employment agencies. The Committee asks the Government once again to specify the principles on which these agencies operate, the nature of the services they provide and whether other labour administration activities are delegated to other non-governmental organizations. If this is the case, the Government is asked to specify these bodies and the activities delegated to them, and to provide detailed information on the means available to the Ministry of Labour to ensure that private employment agencies and the other bodies, if any, to which labour administration activities have been delegated, conduct their business in accordance with the national legislation and comply with the objectives assigned to them.

Article 4. The Committee recalls the ILO resolution on labour administration and labour inspection adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 100th Session in June 2011 in which it was pointed out that experience from the recent financial and economic crisis has shown that labour administration has a central role among government institutions. Indeed, good labour policy and efficient institutions can help to address difficult economic situations, by protecting workers and enterprises against the worst impact of an economic crisis and mitigating its economic and social consequences while facilitating economic recovery. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the activities carried out by the labour administration to cope with the financial and economic crisis and their impact, as well as the measures taken or envisaged to strengthen the labour administration in this context.

Article 10. In its report, the Government gives indications on the budgets allocated to labour administration for 2009, 2010 and 2011. The Committee recalls the ILO resolution on labour administration and labour inspection adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 100th Session June 2011 in which it was indicated that the focus should be on developing and retaining skilled human resources, since no labour administration can work without specifically dedicated staff who are qualified and adequately trained and equipped. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would specify the percentage of the budget allocated to the labour administration compared to the national budget, and also to provide statistical information on the staffing and material means available to the labour administration, as well as on the impact of measures already taken with respect to the efficient operation of its functions.