Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 (No. 117) - Jamaica (Ratification: 1966)

Parts I and II of the Convention. Improvement of standards of living. In its previous comment, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the measures taken to promote cooperatives and improve the living standards for workers in the informal economy. The Government states that it has a longstanding history of creating an enabling environment for the growth and development of cooperatives and refers to the Cooperative Societies Act and its Regulations of 1950, which created the legislative framework for promoting cooperatives. The Government indicates that to date, there are approximately 90 registered cooperatives in Jamaica. There are 25 financial cooperatives (credit unions) and no consumer cooperatives on the register of cooperatives. The Government adds that the Department of Cooperatives and Friendly Societies (DCFS) promotes cooperatives through registration, training, promotional, monitoring and supervisory activities. Similarly, the Committee also requested the Government to supply information on measures taken to give effect to Article 2 of the Convention, in particular concerning the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan. The Government indicates in this regard that one of the goals under the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan is to empower Jamaicans to achieve their fullest potential, and to this end the Government has set out to implement effective social protection, aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger. The Government mentions that among the measures adopted, the National Poverty Reduction Programme (NPRP) seeks to reduce poverty in Jamaica and improve living standards. The Committee notes the National Poverty Reduction Programme Annual Report, April 2021 to March 2022, submitted by the Government, highlighting the achievements, challenges and gaps for the financial year 2021–22. The document indicates that a new medium-term cycle (2021–24) began in April 2021, emphasizing the strengthening of partnerships among entities to accelerate the achievement of the NPRP goals, particularly goal one, to eradicate extreme poverty by 2022. The Government submits statistical data up to 2019 indicating improvements in the decrease of poverty, food poverty, poverty among female-headed households, male-headed households, and national poverty prevalence in all age groups, including children and aged persons. The Committee notes that, according to the World Bank database, the rising economic activity brought the unemployment rate to a record-low 4.2 per cent in October 2023, while poverty (US$6.85 per day) declined from 13.9 per cent in 2021 to an estimated 12.3 per cent in 2023. The same database indicates that the quality of employment remains a concern given continued high informality (46.8 per cent of non-agricultural employment in 2020). In its previous comment, the Committee also requested the Government to indicate the measures taken to study the causes and effects of migratory movements which may cause disruption of family life and other traditional social units and to control those movements. The Government indicates that it has not conducted any recent study in this regard. The Committee notes that during the development of the National Policy on International Migration and Development (NPIMD), which was tabled as a White Paper in 2017, the research conducted revealed the effects of migratory movements on family life. As a result, the following goal was included in the NPIMD: “By 2030, the migrant family is preserved, protected and empowered to ensure the productive lives of its members”. The Committee notes the above developments with interest and requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information, including disaggregated statistical data and copies or extracts of studies or legislative texts, on the impact of the measures taken by the Government to give effect to Article 2 of the Convention, in particular of the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan. In view of the high levels of informality and underemployment, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of measures taken or envisaged to tackle these persistent challenges that have the effect of deepening social inequalities and represent obstacles to the improvement of the standard of living of the population. It also requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged in the framework of the National Policy on International Migration and Development (NPIMD) to study the causes and effects of migratory movements, which may cause disruption of family life and other traditional social units and to control those movements. The Committee further requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to encourage and assist producers’ and consumers’ cooperatives (Article 4(e) of the Convention), including detailed information, such as specific examples of measures undertaken, statistical data or envisaged measures.

Part IV. Article 11. Remuneration of workers. Protection of wages. The Committee once again recalls that, for some years, it has been requesting the Government to provide information on measures taken or envisaged to give effect to Article 11 of the Convention, in particular Article 11(8). In its last comments, the Committee reiterated once again its request to the Government to provide specific information on the policies, practices or any other measures adopted indicating, where appropriate, the relevant provisions of legislation and administrative regulations which ensure the proper payment of all wages earned, as provided under each of the subparagraphs of Article 11 of the Convention for both public and private sector employment. The Committee notes that in its response, the Government merely states that it notes the concerns of the Committee, recognizes the gaps in its legislation and will take steps to address these concerns by developing a position paper on the identified gaps and engaging in consultations. The Committee recalls that it has been drawing the Government’s attention to the need to comply with Article 11 of the Convention and urges the Government to introduce the necessary amendments to the national legislation as soon as possible. The Committee recalls that the Government may wish to avail itself of the Office’s technical assistance in this regard.

Article 12. Advances on wages. In its previous comments, the Committee recalled that for a number of years, it has been requesting the Government to supply information on measures taken or contemplated to regulate advances on wages, as required under Article 12 of the Convention. The Committee notes that, in its response, the Government merely states that it notes the concerns of the Committee, recognizes the gaps in its legislation, and points out that it will take steps to address these concerns by developing a position paper on the identified gaps and engaging in consultations. The Committee is therefore once again bound to request the Government to indicate in its next report the specific measures taken or contemplated to regulate the issue of advances on wages for workers in the private sector, in accordance with Article 12 of the Convention. It draws the Government’s attention to the possibility of availing itself of the technical assistance of the Office in this regard.