Texts of pending comments

Articles 2 and 6 of the Convention. Formulation and application of a policy designed to promote the granting of paid educational leave. Participation of the social partners. The Committee recalls that, for nine years, it has been requesting the Government to provide information on the development and implementation of a policy and the measures taken or envisaged – in consultation with the representative employers’ and workers’ organizations – to promote the granting of paid educational leave for the purposes envisaged in Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee has also repeatedly requested the Government to provide extracts of the relevant collective agreements together with extracts of reports, studies or inquiries relating to the practical application of the Convention, and available statistics on the number of workers to whom paid educational leave was granted. The Committee observes that the Government does not provide information in relation to the development and implementation of a policy, or any measures taken or envisaged to promote the granting of paid educational leave. The Committee recalls that the Convention requires the Government to formulate and apply a policy designed to promote, by methods appropriate to national conditions and practice and by stages as necessary, the granting of paid educational leave for the purpose of occupational training at any level, general, social and civil education and trade union education (Article 2) in consultation with the social partners (Article 6). Moreover, in response to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government once again indicates that it does not have any statistics or data on the implementation of the Convention in practice. It adds that there is no information available on the number of employees who were granted paid educational leave, or in relation to the nature of the paid educational leave granted. The Government indicates that there is no system in place for the registration or storing of collective agreements which would enable data on this point to be extracted. It explains that this is mainly due to the private nature of collective agreements, where at the company level these are obligations agreed between the employer and the employees’ representatives. The Government indicates that providing information on provisions concerning paid educational leave in collective bargaining agreements would give rise to a significant administrative and financial burden. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the monitoring of collective agreements takes place through special surveys on earning and working conditions, particularly the Average Earnings Information System (ISPV) and the independent survey under the Information Scheme on Working Conditions (IPP). However, neither of the two surveys collect data on paid educational leave. Noting that the collection of information is necessary to enable it to assess the manner in which effect is given to the Convention, the Committee encourages the Government to consider including one or more questions in the above-mentioned special surveys in relation to the nature and availability of paid educational leave for the purposes set out in Article 2 of the Convention. Moreover, as there is no information in the Government’s report indicating the manner in which Article 2 of the Convention is implemented, the Committee requests the Government to communicate the texts, including government statements, declarations and other documents, in which the policy on promoting paid educational leave is expressed. The Committee also reiterates its request that the Government provide detailed updated information on the manner in which the Convention is applied, including, for instance, extracts from reports, studies and inquiries, and statistics on the number of workers granted paid educational leave (Part V of the report form). In view of the concerns expressed by the Government regarding the collection of such information, the Committee recalls that the Government can avail itself of the technical assistance of the ILO in this regard.

Article 8. Discrimination. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on any measures adopted or envisaged to ensure that all workers enjoy equal access to paid educational leave. The Government refers once again to the principle of equal treatment and non-discrimination established in section 16(2) of the Labour Code, which prohibits all forms of discrimination in labour relationships. The Government reports that the inspections carried out by the labour inspection authority during the reporting period did not reveal any violations in this regard, nor have workers made specific suggestions to carry out any inspection proceedings on the issue of paid educational leave. The Government indicates that it can therefore be assumed that cases of unequal treatment and discrimination in relation to access to paid educational leave do not occur in practice. The Committee nevertheless notes that the absence of disaggregated data on the number of workers to whom paid educational leave was granted renders it impossible to assess the implementation in practice of this Article of the Convention. The Committee therefore reiterates its request that the Government provide information on any measures taken or envisaged to ensure that all workers, particularly those belonging to disadvantaged groups, enjoy equal access to paid educational leave.

Article 5(1) of the Convention. Effective tripartite consultations. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the outcome of tripartite consultations held pursuant to the Convention. In this respect, it notes with interest the Government’s ratification of the Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183) on 3 July 2017 and the Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 (No. 154) on 6 December 2017, following tripartite consultations. With respect to tripartite consultations held to re-examine unratified Conventions (Article 5(1)(c)), the Government indicates that no agreement was reached between the social partners on the setting of an objective mechanism for raising the minimum wage. It therefore decided not to submit a proposal for ratification of the Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 (No. 131), taking into account the importance of having tripartite consensus on this issue. It adds that an analysis of the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) is being elaborated, but has not yet been the topic of a tripartite discussion. The Government also reports that a meeting of the Working Team of the Council for Economic and Social Agreement for Cooperation with the ILO was held on 10 May 2019 to discuss the comments of the Committee on the application by Czechia of certain ratified Conventions. The Committee welcomes the information provided and requests the Government to continue to provide information on the content and outcome of the tripartite consultations held on all of the matters concerning international labour standards covered by the Convention, including with respect to Conventions identified for possible ratification.

The Committee takes note of the supplementary information provided by the Government in light of the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 338th session (June 2020). The Committee proceeded with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the supplementary information received from the Government and the social partners this year, as well as on the basis of the information at its disposal in 2019.

The Committee notes the 2019 and 2020 observations of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS) and of the Confederation of Industry and Transport (the latter are addressed by the Committee in its observations regarding the Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981, No. 154) communicated with the Government’s report and the Government’s comments thereon.

Article 1 of the Convention. Protection against acts of anti-union discrimination. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted that, according to the ČMKOS, the notification requirement under section 286(4) of the Labour Code implied that a trade union may be required to provide the names of trade union members and leaders to the employer, creating a risk of anti union dismissal during the period of time between the notification to the employer about the establishment of a trade union and the day when the union’s entitlements vis à vis the employer take effect. In its reply, the Government had: (i) clarified that the notification to the employer did not require the prior submission of information on persons entitled to act in the name of the trade union; and (ii) indicated that, while it had no information about any cases of dismissals under these circumstances, the conduct denounced would be characterized as an illegal circumvention of the law, and that it was prepared to consider a legislative change based on an assessment of the practical application of the Labour Code in this regard. The Committee duly notes that the Government indicates that: (i) the Constitutional Court examined the matter in its ruling Pl. ÚS. 10/12 issued on 23 May 2017, and concluded that protection against possible abuse was sufficiently ensured by judicial review of the validity of the notice of termination; and (ii) it has not encountered the problems described by the ČMKOS and is therefore of the opinion that the existing regulation is sufficient. The Committee invites the Government to continue monitoring the practical application of the Labour Code in this regard.

Article 4. Promotion of collective bargaining. In its previous comments the Committee had noted that, according to the ČMKOS, the Register of Contracts Act required employers listed in the Act to disclose in a public register their company collective agreement, and its section 6(1) subjected its effectiveness to publication, contrary to section 26(2) of the Labour Code which provides that the effectiveness of a collective agreement begins on the first day of the period for which the collective agreement has been concluded, unless the period of effectiveness of certain rights or duties is stipulated differently in the collective agreement. The ČMKOS considered that the Act thus restricted freedom to negotiate and would lead to a substantial reduction in the number of company collective agreements. The Committee notes that the Government indicates that the Register of Contracts Act was amended by Act No. 249/2017 and collective agreements were explicitly added among the categories of agreements excluded from the obligation of publication in the Register of Contracts.

The Committee further notes that in its 2019 and 2020 observations the ČMKOS affirms that, following the decision of the Constitutional Court to repeal the provision in section 24(2) of the Labour Code (providing that the employer must negotiate with all unions but that, in case of disagreement among unions, the employer may conclude a collective agreement with one or more trade unions which have the largest number of members) and due to legislative inaction, minority unions have been given a veto power that may thwart the right to collective bargaining of the vast majority of employees. The ČMKOS alludes to concrete examples of minority unions having blocked negotiation processes given the current state of the legislation, and notes that it submitted a proposal to amend section 24(2) in order to address this challenge. The ČMKOS indicates that its proposal to amend the aforementioned provision was not adopted due to the opposition of a minority union. Given the negative effects that section 24(2) of the Labour Code has on the adoption of enterprise-level collective agreements, the ČMKOS calls for the adoption of legislation to create procedural preconditions for the successful conduct of collective bargaining and the adoption of enterprise-level collective agreements.

The Committee notes that the Government: (i) recalls that the original provision, which established significantly unequal conditions between larger and smaller trade unions, was rejected by the Constitutional Court and it is therefore not possible to return to it; (ii) considers that the proposal submitted by the ČMKOS dos not comply with the constitutional ruling; (iii) rejects the claims of inaction, noting that the issue was repeatedly discussed with the social partners, already in 2016–17 and in 2018–19 during the discussion of amendments to the Labour Code; (iv) notes that at the March 2019 session of the Council of Economic and Social Agreement this issue was removed from this draft bill that is currently being prepared due to the fundamental disagreements among various representatives of workers; (v) considers that the implementation of a specific solution would be very difficult without the consensus of all representative social partners on its wording ; and (vi) indicates that its proposed solution to undertake mandatory consultations between social partners has been repeatedly rejected by the ČMKOS. Recognizing the need to address the issue raised by ČMKOS, the Government indicates that as of 2021, the impact of the legislation in the conclusion of collective agreements will be evaluated through the Information on Working Conditions Survey (annual survey carried out by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs which analyzes collective agreements and provides an overview of trends in collective bargaining). Duly noting this information, the Committee recalls that both systems of collective bargaining which grant exclusive rights to the most representative union, and systems under which several or all unions in an enterprise or a bargaining unit may participate in the negotiation of collective agreements, are compatible with the Convention. The Committee continues to encourage the Government to keep on discussing the matter with the social partners with a view to preparing legislative amendments and any other pertinent measures to ensure that the current situation does not hinder the conclusion of collective bargaining agreements. Recalling that it may avail itself of the technical assistance of the Office, the Committee requests the Government to inform of any evolution in this respect.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on collective bargaining in the country, in particular that: (i) since there is no obligation in the Czech Republic to place collective agreements in the Register of Contracts or any other register, the Government lacks complete records; (ii) the number of employees covered by higher-level collective agreements whose application is extended cannot be determined as the extension is made to an indeterminate number of employers; (iii) every year the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs conducts inquiries into the terms and conditions of collective agreements, but, since the Information on Working Conditions Survey is voluntary, it is not possible to determine the percentage of contracts collected and analysed out of the total number of contracts, nor the exact percentage of employees covered by collective agreements; (iv) in 2017, the survey analysed selected data on wage and working conditions from 1,737 enterprise collective agreements from 27 trade unions across all sectors, covering more than 899,000 employees, as well as 19 higher-level collective agreements concluded that year; (v) in 2018, data was collected in relation to 1,705 enterprise collective agreements from 27 trade unions, representing almost 871,000 employees, as well as the 20 higher-level collective agreements concluded that year, and (vi) in 2019, the survey gathered information with respect to 1,584 enterprise collective agreements from 27 trade unions, across all sectors, covering 788,000 employees as well as 20 higher-level collective agreements. The Government further indicates that, with a view to promoting social dialogue and collective bargaining at national and regional levels, it approved a subsidy of 37,000,000 Czech Republic koruna on 7 September 2020 aimed at financing social partners’ activities. Duly noting the information provided, and encouraging the development of additional mechanisms to collect information on collective bargaining in the country, the Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the number of collective agreements concluded and in force, the sectors concerned and the number of workers covered by these agreements, as well as on any additional measures undertaken to promote the full development and utilization of collective bargaining under the Convention.

The Committee takes note of the supplementary information provided by the Government in light of the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 338th Session (June 2020). The Committee proceeded with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the supplementary information received from the Government and the social partners this year, as well as on the basis of the information at its disposal in 2019.

The Committee takes notes of the 2020 Confederation of Industry and Transport (SP ČR) additional observations, communicated with the Government’s report, as well as the Government’s comments thereon. The Committee had also taken note of the 2019 observations of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, and of the SPČR – seconded by the Confederation of Employers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Associations (KZPS) and the Czech Confederation of Commerce and Tourism (SOCR) – communicated with the Government’s 2019 report, as well as the Government’s comments thereon.

Article 1(3) of the Convention. Collective bargaining in the public service. The Committee notes with interest the Government’s indication that workers in all sectors of economic activity can participate in collective bargaining through trade unions, and that the Civil Service Act regulates in its section 143 the procedure for concluding a collective agreement applicable to public servants. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number of collective agreements concluded and in force in the public service, the sectors concerned, and the number of workers covered by these agreements.

Article 7. Higher-level collective bargaining. In its previous comment, noting the diverging views expressed by the employers’ organisations and the Government regarding the binding effect of higher-level collective agreements to all members of the signatory employer’s organizations (section 25(2)(a) of the Labour Code), the Committee had encouraged the Government and the social partners to discuss this matter. The Committee notes that in its 2020 observations the SP ČR reiterates that section 25 (2)(a) of the Labour Code: (i) violates the principle of voluntariness of collective bargaining, given that higher-collective agreements apply to employers who have explicitly expressed their disagreement with its content; and (ii) results in a decline of higher-level collective agreements, in particular sectoral agreements, and weakens social dialogue. The Committee notes that in its response to the above observations, the Government indicates that: (i) the current legislation does not prevent collective bargaining but rather offers broad possibilities for it; (ii) under the definition of collective agreement provided in section 23 (3) (a) of the Labour Code it is possible for collective agreements to apply only to some of the members in the employers’ organization; and (iii) the adoption of the proposal made by SP ČR would result in a new subtype of higher collective agreement and would pose difficulties regarding the subsequent extension procedure, given the unclear verification of representativeness of the parties to the agreement. Having duly noted the position expressed by both the Government and SP ČR, and recalling once again that under Article 7 of the Convention measures taken by public authorities to encourage and promote the development of collective bargaining shall be the subject of prior consultations and, whenever possible, agreements between public authorities and employers’ and workers’ organisations, the Committee encourages the Government to continue engaging in discussions on this matter with the social partners and to provide information on any development in this regard.

The Committee notes the observations of the Czech–Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (CMKOS), relating to matters examined by the Committee and communicated with the Government’s report, as well as the Government’s comments thereon. Concerning the allegations that the obligations set out in Act No. 563/1991 on Accounting (to publish financial statements, including statutory review by auditor, as well as an annual report) are excessively cumbersome, the Committee requests the Government to provide additional information on what such obligations entail (in particular the references to an auditor review and to regular or extraordinary financial statements) and invites the Government to assess the application in practice of these requirements in consultation with the social partners.

Article 2 of the Convention. Formation and registration of employers’ and workers’ organizations. In its previous comment, the Committee had invited the Government to continue to monitor and provide statistical information on the process of formation of trade unions and employers’ organizations, including information as to the time it takes to register a trade union and whether any procedural requirements may lead to obstacles to the registration of unions or of their changes and termination. The Committee duly notes that the Government indicates that the initial difficulties after the implementation of the new system were overcome, noting in particular that: (i) there are no longer any problems or delays with the establishment and registration process of organizations of employers and workers; and (ii) these organizations are entered into the register of associations by the registration court within five working days simply on the basis of the notification of its establishment, without the need to file a registration proposal. On the other hand, the Committee notes that the CMKOS states that registration courts remain unable to register the establishment, changes and dissolution of employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect, and requests that it continue to monitor and provide information on the process of formation of trade unions and employers’ organizations.

Article 3. Right of organizations to organize their activities and to formulate their programmes. In its previous comment the Committee had requested the Government to clarify how the requirement for the functioning of trade unions contained in section 286(3) of the Labour Act is applied in enterprises where workers are engaged both in employment relationships and in relations outside employment. The Committee duly notes that, as indicated by the Government: (i) the right to form a trade union and the right to become a member of a trade union does not require an employment contract; (ii) other workers can be both founding and regular members of a trade union, and can be represented by a trade union; (iii) work performed outside an employment relationship in enterprises has a very limited scope and, because of its exceptionality and variability, it is not reflected in section 286(3); and (iv) the Constitutional Court, in its ruling Pl. ÚS. 10/12 issued on 23 May 2017, considered that the requirement set out in section 286(3) was not unconstitutional and ensured a minimum personnel support for certain actions in the undertaking, such as negotiating and concluding collective agreements. Having duly noted the information provided by the Government, the Committee requests the Government to collect information on any cases of trade unions unable to act in an employer’s undertaking on account of the requirement to have at least three members in an employment relationship, as set out in section 286(3) of the Labour Act, and encourages it to continue reviewing the application of this section to ensure that it does not restrict in any way the exercise of trade union rights by workers in an employer’s undertaking who are not in an employment relationship.

In its previous comment the Committee trusted that the Government will take the necessary measures to amend section 17 of the Act on Collective Bargaining to reduce the required super-majority of votes cast in order to hold a strike and requested the Government to inform it of any developments in this regard. The Committee also encouraged the Government to continue its efforts to bring the social partners together for the purpose of legislatively regulating the right to strike in situations other than disputes regarding the conclusion of collective agreements and to provide information on any steps taken or envisaged in this respect. The Committee notes that the Government: (i) indicates that the possibility of a new legislation for strikes outside the collective bargaining procedure was discussed at the meeting of the Working Team for Cooperation with ILO of the Council of Economic and Social Agreement on May 2019 and that both worker and employer representatives agreed that no such provisions were currently needed; (ii) considers that the voting requirements depend on national conditions and that the current threshold (two thirds of those participating in the vote, with a quorum of at least one half of all the employees, and which was initially set by agreement between employers and employees) does not unduly restrict the right to strike; (iii) informs that at the above-mentioned May 2019 tripartite meeting the employers agreed with the Government’s view, but the workers concurred with the opinion of the Committee. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendations and, trusting that these matters will continue being reviewed in a tripartite manner, requests the Government to provide information on any developments in this regard.

Article 1(5) of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of education and training policies and programmes. The Committee notes with interest the detailed information provided by the Government on the various policies and vocational guidance programmes, including the Long-term Plan for Education and the Development of the Education System in the Czech Republic 2015–20 (DMI 2015–20), approved by Government resolution No. 277 of 15 April 2015. The DMI 2015–20 is based on the prior long-term plan and, in line with the Strategy for the Education Policy in the Czech Republic by 2020, sets out the main objectives for regional education, which include support for secondary vocational education. The Government indicates that the objectives of the 2020 Strategy include the provision of individualized career counselling for young people and adults wanting to return to formal or further education, modernization of the vocational training system to enhance the development of knowledge, skills and competencies, including through increased practical training, as well as systemic use of internships and social partnerships between schools and employers to facilitate the transition from school to work. Moreover, the Committee notes the incentives provided to employers by the Government, in particular the 2015 amendment to the income tax, which introduced tax breaks for companies engaged in the provision of education in vocational schools. In addition, the Government has implemented the Modernisation of Vocational Training (MVT) project, which seeks to enhance the quality of vocational education in secondary school through educational programmes and increasing employers’ participation in the formation of the curriculum. The Government indicates that, pursuant to Act No. 179/2006 Coll; a system of verification and recognition of knowledge and skills acquired outside of the education system, including through informal education, is being established in cooperation with professional organizations. The Government indicates that employers’ representatives were involved in the development of the National Qualification System (NQS) through a network of sector councils, adding that 1,234 professional qualifications were established in the NQS as of June 2018. The Government reports that, in 2017, the Master Examination System project of the National Institute for Education (NIE) was launched. The project aims to set up a system for the recognition of handicrafts by providing the possibility of acquiring a master’s qualification certificate in the same manner as a certificate of professional qualifications. The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government on the vocational guidance system and career counselling within the framework of school education, including lifelong career counselling through the “Man and the World of Work” project, as well as career counselling provided at the Career Counselling Centre (CCC) of the NIE. The Government reports that the CCC provides vocational guidance for school leavers, persons with disabilities, minorities and other disadvantaged groups. The Government reports that the Framework Educational Programme (FEP) was also launched in 2017, with the objective of supporting lifelong learning and skills development for students. In the context of career consultancy, the Committee notes that, in the first half of 2018, the Information and Consultancy Centres (ICCs) organized 2,705 events for a total of 18,908 jobseekers, students and parents. In addition, the Employment Office of the Czech Republic (EOCR) organized information meetings on the subject of retraining and other forms of active employment policy measures for 53,223 persons. Moreover, 86,906 persons benefited from individual vocational guidance. In addition, in 2018, 1,450 persons benefited from 160 consultancy programmes implemented as a part of the Job Club programme. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy provides retraining through the EOCR, with the aim of responding to regional market needs and addressing qualification gaps in the future labour market. The retraining system has been linked with the NQS, constituting a significant change that enables participants to obtain a complete professional qualification. Based on the demand of employers and jobseekers, the courses include: driving, welding, engineering, computer literacy, accounting and social services. In order to provide additional incentives for retraining, EOCR funds selected retraining courses that cater to individual needs as well as covering the cost of retraining employees. In 2017, EOCR funds supported retraining for 18,174 persons. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated, detailed information, including statistics disaggregated by age and sex, on the impact of the vocational guidance and training policies and programmes implemented. Moreover, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the manner in which it ensures women’s access to training in non-female-dominated professions. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the results of the Modernisation of Vocational Training project and progress made in respect of the development and impact of the Framework Educational Programme (FEP). In addition, the Committee reiterates its prior request that the Government provide extracts from reports, studies and inquiries and statistical data relating to the matters covered by the Convention (Part VI of the report form).

Articles 1(5) and 3. Equality of opportunity. Extension of systems of vocational guidance to specific groups of workers. The Committee notes the 2015 report of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD/C/CZE/CO/1), which took note of the high unemployment rate of persons with disabilities in the Czech Republic, observing that the unemployment rate of women with disabilities is higher than that of men with disabilities, and that close to one third of employed persons with disabilities work outside the labour market. The Committee further notes that, in its 2016 report (CEDAW/C/CZ/CO/6), the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women took note of the concentration of women in traditionally female-dominated professions and in the informal economy in the Czech Republic. In its 1991 General Survey on human resources development, paragraphs 285–286, the Committee noted that vocational guidance plays a decisive role in the promotion of equal opportunity, and that it is possible through vocational guidance services to overcome stereotypes limiting choice of occupation, for example through programmes to encourage women to follow training courses traditionally available only to men. The Committee recalls that the Convention provides that the national policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training, closely linked to employment, shall encourage all persons, on an equal basis and without any discrimination whatsoever, to develop and use their capabilities for work in their own interests and in accordance with their own aspirations, account being taken of the needs of society (Article 1(5)). Information and guidance provided shall cover, inter alia, the choice of occupation, vocational training and employment prospects (Article 3(2)). Noting the importance of vocational guidance, vocational education and training to facilitate access to the labour market, particularly to decent jobs, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the manner in which it ensures that specific groups of workers who encounter difficulties in obtaining employment, such as young persons, women and persons with disabilities, enjoy equal access to vocational guidance, education and training opportunities. In particular, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on measures taken or envisaged for the provision of vocational guidance, education and training that enables both men and women, including those belonging to specific disadvantaged groups, to access the labour market (including in non-traditional sectors of the economy).

Article 5. Cooperation of employers’ and workers’ organizations. In its 2013 direct request, the Committee requested the Government to provide information regarding the manner in which the cooperation of employers’ and workers’ organizations and other interested bodies is ensured in relation to the formulation and implementation of vocational guidance and vocational training policies and programmes, including the National Register of Vocational Qualifications (NSK) and the International Competiveness Strategy for Czech Republic 2012–2020 (ICS). The Government indicates that the NSK, in which employers exercise decisive influence on the qualifications content, completed its second phase “NSK 2 – development and implementation of the NSK” in 2015. The system of retraining is currently being implemented as a follow-up to the NSK to align labour market needs with active employment policy tools. The Committee notes that, according to the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), up to October 2017, 171,164 vocational qualification certifications had been issued to jobseekers and 1,359 authorizing bodies had been certified. The Government indicates that, from 2012 to 2015, it partnered with employers to implement a programme on “Supporting Cooperation between Schools and Companies with a Focus on Vocational Training in Practice”, which aimed to strengthen cooperation between schools and employers and facilitate the transition from school to work. The Committee notes that one of the objectives of the 2020 Strategy and the DMI 2015–2020 is to promote the development of social partnerships between schools and employers. The Committee recalls its 2018 observations on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), in which it noted that the Czech Public Employment Service establishes advisory councils which meet at least twice a year and are composed of representatives of trade unions, employers’ organizations, cooperative bodies, organizations of persons with disabilities, the Czech Chamber of Commerce and self-governing territorial units, to coordinate the implementation of the employment policy and human resources development in their respective administrative districts. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided information on the implementation of the ICS. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the formulation and implementation of vocational guidance and vocational training policies and programmes, including the ICS, and to indicate the manner in which these are carried out in cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations and other interested bodies, as required by the Convention. It also requests the Government to indicate the manner in which workers are consulted in the process of development of new policies, and to provide up-to-date information on the activities and the impact of the work of the advisory councils on human resources development in all areas of the country.

Comments adopted by the CEACR: Czechia

Adopted by the CEACR in 2022

C140 - Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Adopted by the CEACR in 2021

C144 - Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2021, published 110th ILC session (2022)

Adopted by the CEACR in 2020

C098 - Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

C154 - Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Adopted by the CEACR in 2019

C087 - Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

C142 - Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)