Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - Egypt (Ratification: 2003)

The Committee refers to its comments on the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), in so far as they are concerned with the application of the present Convention.

Referring to its observation, the Committee would like to raise the following additional points.

Article 9(3). Training of labour inspectors in agriculture. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on training provided to labour inspectors specifically in agriculture-related subjects, like the handling of chemicals and pesticides. Please specify the content, duration, frequency and number of participants of such training.

Articles 26 and 27 of the Convention. Scope of labour inspection services. Publication and communication to the ILO of an annual report on labour inspection activities in agriculture. The Committee notes the Government’s indication according to which the labour inspection report on the work of the labour inspection services in agriculture is published as an integral part of the general labour inspection report. However, the Committee notes that neither the labour inspection report for 2010, nor the labour inspection report for 2011 refers to any inspection activities in agricultural enterprises. With reference to its general observation of 2010, the Committee would like to emphasize that, in the absence of relevant data (such as the geographical distribution of agricultural enterprises and the workers employed therein, the number of inspection visits, the infringements detected and the violations to which they refer, etc.), no assessment of the extent to which the Convention is applied in practice is possible, neither by the national authorities with a view to improving coverage, nor by the ILO supervisory bodies with a view to providing support to governments for the implementation of the commitments deriving from the ratification of the Convention, as well as other ratified ILO standards addressing conditions of work and the protection of workers. The Committee therefore once again urges the Government to ensure that an annual report on labour inspection activities in agricultural enterprises, containing information on all the subjects listed in Article 27(a) to (g) is published and sent to the Office, either as a separate report or as part of the general report of the labour inspectorate, in conformity with Article 26.