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

Uzbekistan

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) (Ratification: 2019)
Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) (Ratification: 2019)

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of the ratified Conventions on labour inspection, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Conventions Nos 81 (labour inspection) and 129 (labour inspection in agriculture) together.

Articles 3 and 5(a) of Convention No. 81 and Articles 6 and 12(1) of Convention No. 129. Functions of labour inspectors. Additional duties entrusted to labour inspectors. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the application of section 3 of Presidential Decision No. PP-3913; and section 38 of the Regulations on the State Labour Inspectorate of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (Regulations on the SLI) contained in Annex 3 of the Decision of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 1066 of 31 December 2018. These provisions provide that the term of secondment of inspectorate personnel to investigation teams and inspections conducted by supervisory and law enforcement agencies shall be no more than ten days per month. The Committee observes that this is repeated in section 12(c) of the new Presidential Decree “On Measures to Improve State Policy and Enhance Effectiveness in the Sphere of Poverty Reduction and Employment” No. PD-347, of 4 October 2024 (Presidential Decree No. PD-347). The Committee also notes that section 12(b) of said Decree provides that, from 1 March 2025, the SLI and its branches are authorised to conduct inspections on whether the number of workers on public construction, repair or reconstruction projects matches project and contractor documentation funded from the State budget. The Committee once again requests the Government to indicate whether the ten-day limit established in these provisions refers to the time spent by inspectors on performing inspection visits for the enforcement of the legal provisions relating to conditions of work and the protection of workers while engaged in their work, as established in Article 3(1) of Convention No. 81 and Article 6(1) of Convention No. 129, or to other duties that might be entrusted to labour inspectors by other enforcement agencies, as referenced in Article 3(2) of Convention No. 81 and Article 6(3) of Convention No. 129. With regard to the new duties entrusted to labour inspectors under section 12(b) of Presidential Decree No. PD-347, the Committee requests the Government to indicate how it ensures that these functions do not interfere with the main objective of labour inspectors to ensure the protection of workers in accordance with labour inspectors’ primary duties as set forth in Article 3(1) of Convention No. 81 and Article 6(1) of Convention No. 129. In this respect, the Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information regarding the time and resources of the SLI that are allocated to these responsibilities in practice, as a proportion of inspectors’ overall time and resources.

Articles 4 and 5(b) of Convention No. 81 and Articles 7 and 13 of Convention No. 129. Supervision and control by a central authority. Collaboration between officials of the labour inspectorate and employers and workers or their organizations. With regard to its previous request on the inspection functions entrusted to trade unions by section 540 of the Labour Code and section 44 of the Trade Union law, the Committee notes the Government representative’s indication to the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards (Conference Committee) that these functions may include examining workplace safety at various stages of a project, participating in investigations into accidents, attending expert medical commissions and engaging in dispute resolution and legal actions on behalf of workers. The Government representative also indicated that trade unions do not have enforcement powers and conduct a type of “social control” which complements the work of the SLI. The Committee once again requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the central authority maintains supervision and control of the labour inspection system in its entirety and to specify the conditions and modalities under which the SLI collaborates with the labour inspection bodies under the authority of the trade unions. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that according to section 1 of Presidential Decree No. UP-5087 of 2017, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry is tasked with monitoring inspections of business entities and assessing the state of observance of the rights and legitimate interests of business entities, with findings submitted to the Presidential Administration, the Cabinet of Ministers and other relevant authorities. Noting the absence of information in this respect, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the application of section 1 of Presidential Decree No. UP-5087/2017 and the assessment conducted by the Chamber of Commerce on labour inspection activities carried out by the SLI.

Articles 6 and 15(a) of Convention No. 81 and Articles 8 and 20(a) of Convention No. 129. Status and conditions of service of labour inspectors. Independence and impartiality of inspectors. With regard to the salaries and benefits of the inspectors in comparison with those of other public officials exercising similar functions in other Government services, the Committee notes the Government’s indication to the Conference Committee that labour inspectors are classified two grades above positions in the State Tax Committee and Ministry of Internal Affairs, making labour inspector salaries more competitive. The Government indicates in its report that the salaries of labour inspectors have been further increased and that, in order to ensure the independence of inspectors, their subordination to local authorities has been abolished. At the same time, the Committee notes that section 20 of Presidential Decree No. PD-347 grants the Minister of Poverty Reduction and Employment broad powers to appoint and dismiss heads of regional inspections, subject to agreement with regional and local authorities. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the mentioned salary increase. It also Committee requests the Government to indicate how it ensures that the appointment and dismissal of labour inspection staff are carried out in a manner that guarantees their independence from any external influence, in accordance with Article 6 of Convention No. 81. Furthermore, it requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged in order to ensure the impartiality, stability of employment and independence of labour inspectors in the performance of their duties, regardless of changes of government.

Article 7(3) of Convention No. 81 and Article 9(3) of Convention No.129. Training of labour inspectors. The Committee takes notes of the information provided by the Government in its report with regard to training offered to labour inspectors in 2025, including with technical support from the ILO. It also notes the indication that a mandatory system of professional development for SLI staff is being introduced, and that an Expert Council is being established under SLI which will be responsible for designing training programmes. The Government expresses the hope that following the introduction of the positions of State Agricultural Labour Inspector, ILO assistance will be provided in training those specialists. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to ensure that the envisaged mandatory systems for professional development for SLI staff, and the envisaged training programmes designed by the Expert Council will contribute to ensuring the completion of training for labour inspectors on the specific risks in agriculture upon their entry into service and in the course of employment.

Article 13 of Convention No. 81 and Articles 17 and 18 of Convention No. 129. Preventive and remedial actions adopted by labour inspectors. The Committee notes that section 8(4) of the Regulations on the SLI still limits the validity of an order to stop operations to a maximum period of ten days. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government with regard to written orders and representations issued by the SLI in the first semester of 2025. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the application in practice of section 8(4) of the Regulations on the SLI, in particular with regard to the measures taken by labour inspectors in cases where the violations which justified a suspension order are not rectified within the ten days period. Noting that the Presidential Decree No PP-374 of 2022 has been amended, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether, in case of violations identified during the implementation of preventive activities, labour inspectors are empowered to take measures, including suspension orders, with a view to remedying defects observed in plant layout or working methods which they may have reasonable cause to believe constitute a threat to the health or safety of the workers as required by Article 13(1) and (2) of Convention No. 81 and Article 18(1) and (2) of Convention No. 129. Noting the restrictions to the powers of labour inspections as examined in its observation under these Conventions, the Committee once again requests the Government to continue to provide information on the number of suspension orders and orders to remedy the violation of the law issued by labour inspectors, and the length of time that such orders were valid and in effect. Furthermore, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken by the competent authority to determine the cases and conditions in which the labour inspection services in agriculture should be associated in the preventive control of new plant, materials or substances and new methods of handling or processing products which appear likely to constitute a threat to health or safety, in accordance with Article 17 of Convention No. 129.

Articles 14, 20 and 21 of Convention No. 81 and Articles 19(1), 26 and 27 of Convention No. 129. Annual report on the work of the inspection services. Notification of accidents and diseases. The Committee notes that the Government’s report and the 2024 Labour Inspection Report contain information regarding the staff of the labour inspection service (Article 21(b) of Convention No. 81 and Article 27(b) of Convention No. 129); statistics of inspection visits (Article 21(d) of Convention No. 81 and Article 27(d) of Convention No. 129); statistics of violations detected and penalties imposed (Article 21(e) of Convention No. 81 and Article 27(e) of Convention No. 129); and statistics of occupational accidents (Article 21(f) of Convention No. 81 and Article 27(f) of Convention No. 129). The Committee notes, however, that the reports do not contain statistics of workplaces liable to inspection and the number of workers employed therein (Article 21(c) of Convention No. 81 and Article 27(c) of Convention No. 129) and statistics of occupational diseases (Article 21(g) of Convention No. 81 and Article 27(g) of Convention No. 129). With regard to labour inspection in agriculture, the Committee notes that the 2024 Labour Inspection report provides detailed information on cotton monitoring, but does not include information on agriculture more broadly. In this respect, the Committee notes that the Government expresses hope for ILO assistance with regard to data collection system pertaining to agriculture. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to ensure that its labour inspection reports are published and transmitted to the ILO, in accordance with Article 20 of Convention No. 81 and Article No. 26 of Convention No. 129, and that they contain information on all the subjects listed in Article 21 of Convention No. 81 and Article 27 of Convention No. 129. Noting that the Government once again did not provide information on cases of occupational diseases notified to the labour inspectorate, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged to improve the notification of cases of occupational diseases, in accordance with Articles 14 of Convention No. 81 and 19 of Convention No. 129.Noting the Government’s interest in receiving technical assistance in this regard, the Committee expresses the hope that, following such support, the Government will be able to provide disaggregated data for the agricultural sector in the future.