Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 83rd ILC session (1996)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Guatemala (Ratification: 1952)

With reference to its earlier comments, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report, and in particular, that concerning the application of Articles 8 and 9 of the Convention.

Article 3. The Government indicates that, within the programme of restructuring of the employment service, there are plans to open other offices in the central region and north-eastern region, as well as in the municipality of Tecùn Umàn, of the Province of San Marcos. The Committee asks the Government to continue to supply information concerning the extension of the network of offices and on measures taken to establish and locate employment offices sufficient in number to serve the employers and workers in each geographical area of the country, in accordance with this Article.

Articles 4 and 5. The Government indicates that, due to irregular participation of the employers' and workers' representatives in the meeting of the Advisory Labour Council, a proposal has been elaborated to amend the Government Decision of 23 December 1957 creating the National Employment Service, with a view to motivate the participation of the social partners. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would forward a copy of this amendment, as soon as it is adopted. It trusts that the Government will not fail to adopt measures, in the near future, in order to give full effect to these Articles, which provide for the cooperation of employers' and workers' representatives, through advisory committees, in the organization and operation of the employment service and in the development of the employment service policy. The Committee asks the Government to provide, in its next report, information on any progress made in this regard.

Article 6(c) and (d). The Committee notes from the Government's report that measures are being taken, in accordance with the programme of modernization of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, to strengthen this body and to fulfil the requirements of these Articles. It would be grateful if the Government would describe in more detail measures taken to ensure that the employment service performs effectively its functions, such as, in particular, collection and analysis of the fullest available information on the situation of the employment market and its probable evolution, in order to make such information available systematically and promptly to the public authorities, the employers' and workers' organizations concerned, and the general public (subparagraph (c)), and the cooperation in the administration of unemployment insurance and assistance and of other measures for the relief of the unemployed (subparagraph (d)).

Article 7. The Government indicates certain measures that have been taken to meet the needs of disabled persons seeking employment. The Committee notes with interest that the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) has been ratified by Guatemala in 1994. It would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information concerning the arrangements made to meet adequately the needs of this category of applicants for employment, under this Article and/or in its future reports on Convention No. 159. Please also indicate measures taken to facilitate within the various employment offices specialization by occupations and by industries, such as agriculture and any other branch of activity in which such specialization may be useful.

Article 10. Please indicate the arrangements made nationally and locally in cooperation with employers' and workers' organizations to encourage full voluntary use of employment service facilities.

Point IV of the report form. Please furnish statistical information available concerning the number of public employment offices established, the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified, and the number of persons placed in employment by such offices.