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

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - French Polynesia

The Committee refers to its comments relating to the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), in so far as they are also concerned with the application of the present Convention, and wishes to raise the following additional points.

Articles 6 and 12 of the Convention. Monitoring of safety conditions at work, technical information and advice for employers and workers in enterprises in agriculture and aquaculture, and cooperation between the inspection services in agriculture and government services or public institutions engaged in similar activities. Further to its previous comments on the impact of cooperation between the inspection services in agriculture and government services or public institutions engaged in similar activities on changes in the numbers of occupational accidents and of cases of occupational disease, the Committee notes the indication in the 2011 annual report of the labour directorate that the number of occupational accidents in fish farming and aquaculture was 32 in 2009, 33 in 2010 and 25 in 2011. According to the annual report, the downward trend in the number of occupational accidents is also due to a drop in employment levels in all sectors. The report also mentions that the collaboration between the prevention unit of the Social Security Fund (CPS) and the labour inspectorate is very important, and these two bodies hold discussions with a view to establishing joint objectives. The Committee requests the Government to continue to take all necessary measures to identify and progressively eliminate the most frequent causes of occupational accidents. The Government is also requested to keep the Office informed of the measures taken and the impact thereof.

Article 9(3). Training for labour inspectors in agriculture. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that, pursuant to Decision No. 2010-39 APF of 25 August 2010, the labour directorate has established training courses for four new labour controllers, who are due to follow specific training identical to the initial training given to officials in metropolitan France. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on initial training for labour inspectors and further training in the course of employment in areas specific to agriculture, such as the use of chemicals. The Government is also requested to indicate the content and frequency of such training, the number of persons who receive it and the impact thereof.

Article 13. Collaboration with employers and workers or their organizations. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the situation is unchanged. With reference to its previous comment, the Committee recalls once again that the collaboration in question may validly be carried out with employers or workers should their representative organizations be weak or non-existent. The Committee refers the Government to the guidance contained in Paragraphs 10 and 11 of the Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Recommendation, 1969 (No. 133), regarding the forms that such collaboration might take. The Committee requests the Government to keep the Office informed of all progress made in this field or any difficulties encountered.