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

Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150) - Belize (Ratification: 2000)

Articles 4 and 5 of the Convention. Structure and working of the labour administration system. Application in practice. The Committee previously noted the draft organizational chart of the Labour Department provided by the Government, which included a Tripartite Body, appointed by virtue of section 22(1) of the 2000 Trade Unions and Employers’ Organizations (registration, recognition and status) Act, which, however, was in operation only from 2003 to 2006. The Committee requested the Government to provide more detailed information on the organization and operation of the labour administration system, including the Tripartite Body. The Committee notes the Government’s information in its report that the Labour Department has been restructured to reflect four regions (Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern Region) and that each region is supervised by a senior labour officer, reporting to the labour commissioner. There are also labour officers and employment officers appointed for each region. The Government also indicates that, in February 2017, the Labour Advisory Board, the Tripartite Body and the National Child Labour Committee were reactivated in order to ensure consultation, cooperation and negotiation between the Government and the employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee requests the Government to provide a complete and up-to-date organizational chart of the Labour Department. It also requests the Government to provide information on the operation of the labour administration system in practice, including any relevant documents or reports in this regard and also examples of consultation, cooperation, or negotiation between the Government and the employers’ and workers’ organizations with respect to the three entities reactivated in 2017.

Article 6. National labour policy and national employment policy. The Committee previously requested the Government to indicate the measures taken for the framing of a national policy on labour in general and on employment in particular. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the National Child Labour Policy was adopted in 2009 and is under revision by the National Child Labour Committee. Furthermore, in 2019, the Ministry of Labour started the groundwork for the development of the National Labour and Employment Policy, for which a number of activities were carried out, including a labour and social protection workshop, active labour market programmes and a job diagnostics exercise. The Government also indicates that the Labour Advisory Board provides consultative support to the development of the National Labour and Employment Policy. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on any progress made regarding the development of the National Labour and Employment Policy, and on the role played by the labour administration bodies involved in this activity.

Article 10. Human resources and material means for labour administration. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that, for the effective operation of the system of labour administration, the Government provides salaries, equipment, motor vehicles, vehicle allowances, trainings, office space and other necessary supplies. The Committee notes that the conditions of service of the labour administration system are regulated by the Government Workers Regulations and the Public Service Regulations. The Government also provides information on the distribution of staff, indicating that, within the Labour Department, there are one labour commissioner, three senior labour officers, nine labour officers, nine employment officers and ten secretaries. The Committee notes that the position of the deputy labour commissioner is vacant. Moreover, there are only three senior labour officers for four regional units. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that labour administration bodies are provided with staff who are adequate in strength and suitably qualified to perform the duties assigned to them, including the fulfilment of vacancies for the positions of the deputy labour commissioner and the senior labour officer.