Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Guatemala (Ratification: 1988)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Coordination of employment policy and poverty reduction. In reply to the comments made in the 2010 observation, the Government provides information in the report received in September 2011 on the results of the National Emergency and Economic Recovery Programme (PNERE). The Committee notes that the objectives and aims of the employment policy of the PNERE facilitated the creation of jobs through investment to finance the construction of productive and social infrastructure, the granting of loans to small and medium-sized enterprises and the creation of jobs in the education, health and public sectors. The Government adds that the stimulus provided for public works in the fields of physical and social infrastructure made it possible to reduce the impact of the recession. Over 4,500 million Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ)were invested in the construction of road infrastructure, as well as a first down payment of GTQ332 million for the construction of the Northern Transversal Highway. In the field of education, around 2,000 classrooms, 800 sanitary services and 86 new school centres were equipped. The Committee invites the Government to provide updated information in its next report so that it can examine the manner in which the new employment objectives set out in government programmes have been achieved.

Article 2. Labour market information. The Committee notes that the data from the employment and income survey of 2010 are the first formal and official employment data for the country that have been available since the previous survey in 2004. The economically active population has risen by 16.3 per cent in relation to 2004 (and now numbers 5,769,262 persons). Around 202,876 persons are unemployed (3.52 per cent of the economically active population), while over 3,400,000 persons are underemployed or in the informal economy. The Committee observes that almost 60 per cent of the economically active population are without statutory benefits. The Government acknowledges that underemployment is becoming one of the most serious and complex problems confronting the country. Its seriousness lies in the magnitude and persistence of a phenomenon with devastating social consequences. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report updated information on the situation, level and trends of the labour market showing the impact of the measures adopted to promote employment for the most vulnerable sectors (women, youth, workers in the rural sector and the informal economy). The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information in the report on the size and distribution of the labour force, and the nature and extent of unemployment and underemployment.

Impact of trade policy in meeting the demand for jobs. In reply to its previous comments, the Government indicates that, despite the fact that Guatemala is a medium- to low-income country, its education system and the lack of social protection mechanisms are similar to low-income countries. The Government recognizes that the country will reap the benefits of access to the world market if human development strategies are included as an integral part of its growth and competitiveness strategy. The structure of exports was changing over the past decade (exports of manufactured products increased, services grew and agricultural exports decreased). The Government expresses concern that exports are dominated by agricultural and unsophisticated manufactured products, which generates low-quality jobs. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of trade agreements on the generation of productive employment.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates that an executive board composed of ministerial representatives was set up for the implementation of the PNERE. The crisis committee included representatives of the private sector, cooperatives and civil society. The Committee considers that greater participation by the social partners would make it possible to achieve better results in terms of employment and to overcome the persistent labour market difficulties. The Committee invites the Government to provide detailed information on the efforts made to hold the consultations with the social partners required by the Convention, which are intended for the design and implementation of an active employment policy. In this respect, the Committee emphasizes the importance of taking into account the views and securing the support of the social partners in order to ensure that the programmes implemented generate high-quality employment. The Committee reiterates its request for the inclusion of information on the consultations held with all the sectors concerned, including representatives of the rural sector and the informal economy.

Coordination of education and training policy with employment opportunities. In reply to its previous comments, the Government recalls the role played by the social partners on the governing board of the Technical Institute for Training and Productivity (INTECAP), in which plans and programmes are defined for the provision of vocational training and technical assistance for enterprises to improve national productivity. The Government refers to various initiatives adopted by the authorities and indicates that the illiteracy rate has fallen to 18.46 per cent (in 2005 the adult illiteracy rate was around 26 per cent). The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of INTECAP plans and programmes, as well as those implemented by the Ministry of Education and the National Employment System to ensure that each person who has acquired training can find suitable employment and endowments in such employment (Article 1(2)(c)).