Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ratification: 1966)

With reference to its observation of 1996, the Committee took note of the Government's report which provides additional information on the application of the Convention up to May 1997. The Government states that it is not yet in a position to provide a detailed response to the Committee's previous comments, but that its determination to give priority to job creation, employability and social cohesion has already been clearly established. A "New Deal" for the young and long-term unemployed has been announced and, during the autumn of 1997, the Government was to set out in detail its programme for employment, education and training.

In this context, and in order to contribute to the formulation and application of an employment policy which complies with the Convention, the Committee wishes to recall the main points raised in its previous observations. While noting the change in unemployment figures -- of which the overall rate for the whole country has, according to the Government, again decreased from 7.6 per cent in June 1996 to 5.6 per cent in June 1997 -- the Committee notes that the Trades Union Congress (TUC) made known its great concern at the continued deterioration in the quality of the jobs offered and in the advancement of precarious and poorly paid employment which does not enable workers to exercise fully their right to be represented by a trade union. The criticisms made by the trade union organization also related to the insufficient and ineffective nature of the active labour market policy measures and to the constraints placed on those receiving unemployment benefit to accept jobs which were not suitable for them. In addition, for many years the Committee has observed a worrying trend towards the elimination of tripartite dialogue on employment policies, as required under Article 3 of the Convention.

The Committee hopes that the Government's next report will contain complete and detailed information demonstrating that an active policy to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment, within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy and in consultation with all the representatives of the persons affected, has been formulated and is being applied.