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

Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144) - Macau Special Administrative Region (Ratification: 1999)

The Committee notes the observations made by the most representative organization of workers (the Macao Federation of Trade Unions), communicated together with the Government’s report.

Articles 2 and 5 of the Convention. Effective tripartite consultations. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that representative organizations of employers and workers in the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs (CPCS) are appointed in compliance with the requirements of the Convention. For instance, they must be the most representative organization, upon consideration by the Government in accordance with the Basic Law and Decree-Law No. 59/97/M. The Government indicates that, during the reporting period, the most representative organization of employers in the CPCS was the Macao Chamber of Commerce, and the most representative organization of workers was the Macao Federation of Trade Unions.

The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government regarding the tripartite consultations held during the reporting period within the CPCS on international labour standards related matters set out in in Article 5(1) of the Convention: (i) the re-examination of unratified Conventions and Recommendations to which effect has not yet been given, (ii) reports on ratified Conventions to be submitted to the ILO, and (iii) the possible denunciation of ratified Conventions. Moreover, at the 2020 CPCS meeting, the Government briefed the social partners on the content of the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) and its accompanying Recommendation No. 206. The Government further indicates that it provided annual briefings to the social partners on the application of Conventions in the country. In reply to the Committee’s request of information on measures taken to ensure effective tripartite consultations within the CPCS, the Government indicates that it has been constantly promoting tripartite consultation through the CPCS on international labour standards related issues as well as on national labour legislation and policies (Paragraph 5(c) of Recommendation No. 152). In this regard, the Government provides information on the tripartite consultations held on a number of statutory reviews and legislative proposals, such as the draft Trade Union Law, the draft Part-Time Labour Relations Law, and the draft law on amendments to the Law on the Employment of Non-resident Workers. Lastly, the Committee notes that, in its observations, the Macao Federation of Trade Unions suggests that the Government carries out studies to further deepen tripartite consultations in the country. The Committee therefore requests the Government to continue to provide detailed information on the measures taken to ensure effective tripartite consultations within the CPCS as well as on the content and outcome of the tripartite consultations held on each of the matters concerning international labour standards covered by Article 5(1) of the Convention.