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

Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144) - Lao People's Democratic Republic (Ratification: 2010)

Tripartite consultations required by the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention received in November 2012. It notes that the National Tripartite Consultation Committee on Labour Relations (NTCC) was established in November 2010. The Government indicates that the NTCC has set up a working schedule to hold meetings every quarter on labour-related matters. Discussions in the NTCC will cover all activities in the labour field, including the matters provided for in the Convention. The Government refers to the matters as follows: discussions related to ILO questionnaires; consideration given to first and regular reports; proposals to be made to the authorities in connection with the submission of Conventions and Recommendations pursuant to article 19 of the ILO Constitution; and proposals for the denunciation of ratified Conventions. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the content and outcome of tripartite consultations held on each of the matters related to international labour standards listed in Article 5(1) of the Convention. It also invites the Government to describe the manner in which the representatives of employers and workers for the purposes of the Convention are chosen, and to indicate what measures have been taken to ensure their representation on an equal footing on any bodies through which consultations are undertaken (Article 3). Please also describe any arrangements made for the financing of any necessary training of participants on the consultative procedures (Article 4(2)).

ILO technical assistance. The Government states in its report that tripartite consultation is an important issue for the country and it welcomes technical assistance from the ILO in order to define the function and role of the NTCC. The Committee recalls that the Office has the technical capacity to help strengthen social dialogue and support the activities that governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations undertake with respect to the consultations required by the Convention. The Committee hopes that the ILO will supply technical assistance, and the Government’s next report will contain information on measures taken in order to implement effective tripartite consultations within the meaning of the Convention.