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

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Poland (Ratification: 1966)

Employment trends and implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in August 2012 containing detailed replies to the points raised in the 2011 observation. It also notes the observations submitted by the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union “Solidarność” which were forwarded to the Government in September 2012. The Government reports that Poland, once the country with the highest unemployment rate in the European Union (EU), has become a country where the unemployment rate in 2009 is about the average for the EU-27. The Government indicates that the National Action Plan for Employment (NAPE) for 2009–11 determined that the main objective is to increase professional activation of Poles during the economic slowdown. It adds that the implementation of the NAPE for 2009–11 has helped mitigate the effects of the economic crisis on the labour market. The unemployment rate for the working age population (15–64 years) increased from 8.3 per cent in 2009 to 9.7 per cent in 2010, 9.8 per cent in 2011, and 9.9 per cent in April 2012. In late May 2012, the number of unemployed persons registered in labour offices reached 2,013,936, an increase of 2.6 per cent over one year. Over several years, the long-term unemployment rate decreased by almost half. In the 2003–06 period, every second unemployed person remained in the records for more than 12 months after registration. At the end of 2009, every fourth registered person remained without work for over a year. In 2010 and 2011, the rate increased to respectively 29.1 per cent and 34.7 per cent. The rate showed a downward trend at 34.5 per cent at the end of the first quarter of 2012. The Committee also notes that the NAPE for 2012–14 provides for the simplification of the procedures for running employment agencies while increasing the protection of their customers; the development of the cooperation system between local authorities and employment agencies in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of actions for the disadvantaged groups in the labour market. The Government further indicates that it aims to improve the quality of labour market services through mass training of staff of labour offices. As part of a training project, more than 2,300 employees of labour offices were trained and a second training programme will address the training needs of 940 counsellors of public employment services. The Committee notes the comments provided by Solidarność indicating that supervision over temporary agencies was limited and steps have been taken in order to lower professional qualifications of public employment services officers. Solidarność also suggests that the Government should take steps in order to cover the undeclared economy with the employment policy, as well as increase the amount of allocations for professional training. It adds that increased allocations should be directed towards the employment of vulnerable groups, such as unemployed women, young people, persons with disabilities, older workers, informal economy workers, migrants and farmers. The Committee invites the Government to provide information in its next report on the results achieved in implementing active employment measures to promote full employment and how these measures will translate into productive and lasting employment opportunities for the unemployed and other categories of vulnerable workers, such as older workers, persons with disabilities and workers in the undeclared economy.

Youth unemployment. The Government states that high unemployment among young people remains one of the most important problems in the Polish labour market. The following factors have a significant impact on the situation of young people: little work experience and professional qualifications in conjunction with high expectations often result in unemployment. As a consequence, young people are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of the economic crisis. The Committee notes that the unemployment rate of young people aged 15–24 increased significantly, from 20.7 per cent in 2009 to 25.8 per cent in 2011. In order to allow this group to supplement deficits in work experience and education, and to enable taking up first employment, the Government initiated activation programmes for people under 30 years of age. In total, activation measures under the professional activation programmes covered 50,616 people in programmes such as internships, general training and vocational training, entrepreneurship programmes and subsidized employment. The Government further reports that a pilot project called “Your Career – Your Choice”, initiated in 2012, forms an integral part of the programme “Youth in the labour market”. This project involves the development of a new path to deal with customers of labour offices who are under 30 years of age, so that immediately after registration in the labour office they are offered individual support and a package of training and employment vouchers. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the measures to tackle youth unemployment and the effectiveness of the various measures implemented to promote the long-term integration of young persons in the labour market. The Government might also wish to hold appropriate consultations with the social partners and representatives of the stakeholders concerned in overcoming the difficulties encountered to obtain lasting employment for young people.

Women’s employment. The Government reported in 2010 that, in recent years, the employment situation of women in the workforce improved, and that the disparity between the unemployment rate of men and women decreased. The Government indicates that the NAPE for 2009–11 identified the importance of the issue of ensuring equal access to the labour market for women and men. During this period, a number of initiatives co-financed by the European Social Fund were implemented, which were aimed at strengthening the position of women in the labour market by overthrowing the existing stereotypes, raising the level of awareness among workers and labour market institutions, as well as providing access to institutionalized forms of childcare. The Government reports on the introduction of mechanisms to counter discrimination, with particular emphasis on discrimination against women, in employment promotion and access to the labour market. The Government reports that the unemployment rate for women was 10.9 per cent in 2011, compared with 8.8 per cent for men. More than 64 per cent of unemployed women in the fourth quarter of 2011 had a secondary, post-secondary or higher education, while among men the rate was 43.4 per cent. Furthermore, women accounted for 54.7 per cent of all unemployed persons who participated in activation programmes in 2011. The Committee encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to combat the stereotypes regarding the roles of women and men in society and at work, and it invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the impact of the measures adopted to ensure that women have the fullest possible opportunity to qualify for and use their skills, in accordance with Article 1(2)(c) of the Convention.

Consultation with the social partners. The Committee notes the observations submitted by Solidarność indicating that trade unions are deprived from their role in participating in the administration of the labour market as the General Employment Council, where trade unions have their representatives, does not perform either an administrative or supervisory role. It further indicates that proposals of legislative changes are often presented in a manner which prevents social partners from expressing their opinion and being duly consulted. In the 2010 General Survey concerning employment instruments, the Committee underlines the importance of ongoing genuine tripartite consultations for tackling and alleviating the consequences of the global economic crisis (General Survey, 2010, paragraph 788). The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report detailed information on the involvement of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of employment policies and programmes.