Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144) - Georgia (Ratification: 2018)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

The Committee takes note of the observations of the Georgian Trade Union Confederation (GTUC), received on 24 September 2024, which substantially reiterate those communicated in 2021. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.

Articles 2 and 5 of the Convention. Adequate procedures. Effective tripartite consultations. The Committee notes the measures taken by the Government, in collaboration with the ILO, to strengthen social dialogue. It welcomes the joint project of the ILO and the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) “Inclusive Labour Market for Job Creation in Georgia” (2017–23), which, despite being launched during a challenging period, successfully engaged social partners and achieved significant policy-level results. Notable progress has been made in advancing social dialogue and establishing checks and balances in the labour market to enhance compliance with International Labour Standards (ILS). The Committee further notes the adoption of the 2023–25 action plan of the Tripartite Commission for Social Partnership (TCSP). Updated biennially, this plan prioritizes reinforcing tripartite dialogue and strengthening the role of social partners in labour market governance. Key objectives include consolidating the work of the TCSP, creating territorial commissions for regional engagement, and building the capacity of government, employers, and workers for effective consultation and negotiation. The Government indicates that a central focus is the discussion of ratifying ILO Conventions. Following several regulatory impact assessments, the decision was made to ratify the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81).

Nevertheless, the Committee notes the indication of the GTUC that the TCSP – intended to meet quarterly – has remained largely inactive in practice, as has the tripartite subcommittee established in 2020. At the same time, the GTUC acknowledges the signing of the ILO Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for 2024–25 on 13 August 2024 and notes that the issues raised under the 2023–25 TCSP action plan have been duly taken into account. The MoU focuses on strengthening tripartite social dialogue, promoting collective bargaining, and enhancing the capacity of social partners. While acknowledging these positive steps, the Committee observes that the Government’s report does not provide information on the consultations held for the purposes of the Convention. The Committee recalls that Article 5(2) of the Convention requires that effective consultations be undertaken at appropriate intervals fixed by agreement, but at least once a year. The Committee welcomes the adoption of the 2023–25 action plan for the TCSP and the signing of the 2024–25 DWCP. However, it notes with concern the allegations of the GTUC that the TCSP remains “largely inactive”. The Committee urges the Government to take immediate steps to ensure the TCSP and its subcommittee convene regularly, and at least annually, in accordance with Article 5(2) of the Convention and the goals of its own action plan. It requests the Government to provide detailed information on the practical implementation of the 2023–25 action plan, including the frequency, content, and outcomes of the consultations held on each specific matter under Article 5(1)(a)–(e) of the Convention. The Committee further requests updated and detailed information on the tripartite consultations regarding the unratified instruments identified under the 2023–25 TCSP action plan.

Article 4(2). Financing of training on consultative procedures. The Committee notes that the Government’s report does not provide information on arrangements made for the funding of training required by the participants on the consultative procedures. Recalling that the effectiveness of consultations also depends on the training of the participants, the Committee reiterates its request for the Government to provide specific information on arrangements made for the financing of any necessary training for participants on the consultative procedures.

Article 6. Annual report. The Committee notes that the Government did not provide information in reply to its previous comment. Recalling that the annual report under Article 6 is the primary means for reviewing the effectiveness of the procedures put in place to implement the Convention, the Committee reiterates its request for the Government to provide copies of such annual reports once they become available.

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

The Committee takes note of the observations of the Georgian Trade Union Confederation (GTUC), received on 20 September 2021, which address issues related to the application of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.

Articles 2 and 5 of the Convention. Adequate procedures. Effective tripartite consultations. The Committee welcomes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention. It notes the Government’s indication that the Organic Law of Georgia (the “Georgian Labour Code”) established the Tripartite Social Partnership Commission (TSPC). The TSPC is composed of three parties – the Government, employers’ and workers’ organizations operating in the various sectors – with six members in each party. Each employers’ and workers’ organization that is a party to the TSPC selects its own representatives. The Government reports that, for purposes of the Convention, the representative organizations in Georgia are the GTUC and the Georgian Employers Association (GEA). It adds that recent amendments to the Georgian Labour Code adopted on 29 September 2020 empowered the TSPC to set up permanent or temporary sub-committees and working groups to review specific issues. In this context, the Committee notes with interest that, in 2020, following the adoption of a decree issued by the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs, a special tripartite permanent sub-committee was created within the TSPC to hold tripartite consultations on issues related to international labour standards. The sub-committee is composed of representatives of the Ministry of Labour, the GTUC and the GEA. The Committee nevertheless notes the Government’s indication that the special tripartite sub-committee, which was established at the end of 2020, has not yet been able to meet due to pandemic-related restrictions. The Committee further notes the observations of the GTUC, in which it indicates that the TSPC is actually inactive and has not met at regular intervals despite the workers’ organizations formal requests. The GTUC adds that, as a result, the workers’ organizations raised issues in the TSPC action plan for 2020-2022 that include the possible ratification of a number of ILO Conventions: the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155); the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81); the Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129); the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102); the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156); the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176); the Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183); and the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190). The GTUC maintains in its observations that the Government has not ensured tripartite consultations on the review of non-ratified conventions and recommendations to which effect has not yet been given, as required by Article 5(1)(c) of the Convention. In addition, the GTUC indicates that there is only one sectoral agreement in place in the country and collective agreements exist in only 59 enterprises, covering 105,098 employees. It expresses the view that the absence of collective agreements points to the underdevelopment of social dialogue in the country. The GTUC considers that, despite Georgia’s ratification of the Convention in 2018, which requires commitment to strengthening tripartite negotiations and social dialogue, in practice, nothing has changed in this respect. It also observes that the special tripartite permanent sub-committee set up in 2020 to examine matters related to international labour standards has never met. The Committee requests the Government to take all necessary measures without delay to ensure that the special tripartite permanent sub-committee of the Tripartite Social Partnership Commission meets to hold tripartite consultations for purposes of the Convention at appropriate intervals fixed by agreement, or at least once a year, on issues related to international labour standards and to provide detailed information on the frequency, content and outcome of tripartite consultations held on each of the matters relating to international labour standards covered by the Convention, including: questionnaires concerning items on the agenda of the Conference (Article 5(1)(a)); proposals to be made in connection with the submission to the National Assembly of instruments adopted by the Conference (Article 5(1)(b)); the re-examination at appropriate intervals of unratified Conventions and of Recommendations to which effect has not yet been given (Article 5(1)(c)); reports to be made on the application of ratified Conventions (Article 5(1)(d)); and proposals for the possible denunciation of ratified Conventions (Article 5(1)(e)). The Committee further requests the Government to provide detailed updated information concerning tripartite consultation in respect of the unratified instruments listed by the workers’ organizations under the 2020-2022 TSPC action plan. The Government is also requested to provide detailed information on the manner in which the views expressed by representative workers’ and employers’ organizations on the operation of the consultations required by the Convention are taken into account.

Article 4(2). Financing of training on consultative procedures.The Committee notes that the Government’s report does not provide information on arrangements made for the funding of training required by the participants on the consultative procedures. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide information on arrangements made for the financing of any necessary training for participants on the consultative procedures, as contemplated by the Convention.

Article 6. Annual report. The Government reiterates that the special tripartite sub-committee responsible for consultations on issues related to international labour standards has not yet met. It indicates that annual reports will be available by the end of the year. The Committee requests the Government to provide copies of annual reports on the working of the procedures provided for under the Convention once they become available.