All Comments

In Argentina, labour inspection is a function that is not delegated to the nation by the provinces or the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, which retain exclusive competence to inspect compliance with labour legislation and safety and health conditions. Federal competence for inspection is exceptional and relates to the transport of passengers, loads and river, maritime and lake activities, ports and airports.

Within this framework of the division of competence, Act No. 25.212 endorses the Federal Labour Pact concluded by the national State, the provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, and its objectives are: the unification of labour inspection criteria and the system of penalties for labour violations throughout the country.

Act No. 25.877 established the Comprehensive Labour and Social Security Inspection System (SIDITYSS) for the supervision and inspection of compliance with labour and social security provisions throughout the national territory.

In light of the above, the Government considers that the quantitative analysis of the numbers of inspectors should be undertaken adding together the number of inspectors of the national administration, local jurisdictions and non-State public bodies with delegated inspection functions. The national public administration accordingly has a service with dependent labour inspectors consisting of: the Secretariat of Labour, Employment and Social Security (STEySS), the Occupational Risk Supervisory Authority (SRT) and the Customs Collection and Supervisory Agency (ARCA).

Each of the provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires in turn have their own labour inspection services.

In addition, the inspectors must be included of non-State public bodies: the National Register of Rural Workers and Employers (RENATRE) and the Statistical and Registry Institute for the Construction Industry (IERIC).

As a result, the total number of inspectors is sufficient and effective under the terms of Convention No. 81.

In Argentina, the labour inspection system ensures the presence of a central authority in a federal system

In Argentina, there is a central authority (the Ministry of Human Capital – STEySS) which coordinates and sets common policies for the country as a whole within a framework of co-responsibility and cooperation (Act No. 25.212). Similarly, the STEySS, as the central authority, includes the Federal Labour Council (CFT), a body that ensures the greatest effectiveness of Government action in the various jurisdictions, as established by Act No. 25.212.

Moreover, the National Plan for the Regularization of Labour (PNRT) remains in force under the joint management of the national and provincial governments and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Under the terms of Act No. 25.212, the STEySS is the authority responsible for the application of the SIDITYSS and exercises its functions in articulation with the provincial administrations and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

In Argentina, labour inspectors are provided with means of transport and mobility allowances

In this respect, it is important to emphasize that all inspectors are in receipt of the monthly mobility allowance, which is intended to cover journeys on public transport required to carry out their daily functions.

It is also the case that, in the event that they have to travel over 50km from their workplace (the premises of regional agencies), service commissions are provided to inspectors consisting of a sum of money so that they can cover the necessary expenses for the discharge of their duties, including accommodation if they have to stay overnight in other cities.

Both the central headquarters and the regional agencies of the STEySS have means of transport available.

Information requested on the number of inspectors with tenure and the number employed on contracts at the federal level

The number of inspectors at the federal level is 316, of whom 263 have tenure and 53 are under contract (the total of inspectors in the provincial administrations and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires). In addition, the SRT has a total of 100 inspectors under permanent contracts and 20 under fixed-term contracts for one year with automatic renewal (Act No. 20.744).

Measures taken to ensure penalties for unregistered work

In this regard, in relation to the comment relating to the regulations repealed by Act No. 27.742 providing for financial consequences for employers for failure to comply with labour regulations, it should be noted that in essence they constituted a double burden, as employers were responsible for the same failure of compliance with Act No. 25.212. However, as the comment covered by the above response bears no relation to the matters set out in Convention No. 81, it is requested that it is not taken into account.

Below, information is provided on the General System of Penalties for Labour Violations (REGESIL), which are applicable throughout the national territory (Act No. 25.212):

Types	Offences	Level of fines
Light	Formal or administrative violations	Between 25 and 150 per cent of the minimum mobile living wage (SMVM)
Serious	Acts or omissions which result in failure to comply with occupational safety and health requirements	Between 30 and 200 per cent of the SMVM for each worker
Very serious	Acts or omissions which may result in serious or imminent risks to the health of workers, discrimination, acts contrary to intimacy and dignity	Between 50 and 2000 per cent of the SMVM for each worker affected
Obstruction	Conduct which impedes, disturbs or delays the work of the inspector	Between 100 and 5000 per cent of the SMVM

The Public Register of Employers with Labour Penalties (REPSAL) – Act No. 26.940:

The Register publishes final penalties for unregistered work imposed by the STEySS, ARCA, provincial authorities and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, the RENATRE and the SRT, as well as penalties for the obstruction of labour inspection, court sentences for labour relations not recognized by the employer, penalties for violations of the prohibition of child labour and the protection of young workers, and penalties for violations of the Act on the prevention and punishment of the trafficking of persons and assistance to victims (penalty: prohibition of access to State programmes, benefits and subsidies, credit from public financial institutions and participation in tendering for public works or services).

There are sufficient numbers of inspectors in agriculture, combined under all inspection systems (national, provincial and the RENATRE)

There are a total of 316 federal inspectors, who discharge functions within the framework of the PNRT with full federal competence, but also carry out inspections in the agricultural sector (including provincial inspectors and those of the RENATRE).

The Committee notes that unregistered work is largely prevalent in rural areas

Argentina is continuing to implement the PNRT at the national level, with joint action being taken with the RENATRE, denunciations being received and action carried out to detect workers who are not registered and their inclusion in the dependent staff.

The Committee notes persistent rural child labour, labour exploitation and trafficking and inhumane conditions

Within the context of the STEySS RENATRE Coordination Committee, the presence of children and situations of labour exploitation have been detected, and denunciations have been made so that the judicial system could intervene. The result of the work of the Coordination Committee was to improve the focus on the detection of violations.

Coordination between national and provincial bodies and the RENATRE. Cooperation agreement

In 2019, a cooperation agreement was concluded between the then Government Secretariat for Labour and Employment and the RENATRE to strengthen inspection and promote decent work in the agricultural sector, thereby avoiding the duplication of effort and enabling resources to be used by both bodies. Subsequently, in 2020, the then Secretariat of Labour of the former Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and the RENATRE concluded a supplementary agreement. On the basis of these agreements, articulated and planned working methods were consolidated for the two bodies.

The principal indicators of the Coordination Committee are set out below:

Year	Establishments inspected	Establishments with violations	Percentage of establishments with violations	Workers inspected	Workers without prior registration (CAT)	Percentage of workers without prior registration (CAT)	Inspections where child labour/work by young persons detected	Inspections where work by young persons detected
2024	134	93	69.4	1 399	485	34.7	2	3
2025	133	106	79.7	1 704	1 092	64.1	3	14
2026	59	44	74.6	1 397	759	54.3	1	4
Total general	326	243	74.5	4 500	6 750	150.0	6	21

Year	Number of children detected	Number of young persons detected	Cases of labour exploitation
2024	2	3	13
2025	2	14	17
2026	0	4	1
Total general	4	21	31

Data as of 8 May 2026 –Own source CPO

Public expenditure austerity policies do not affect the continuity and strengthening of inspection services

Public expenditure austerity policies have not affected the labour inspection or rural inspection services, as the implementation of the PNRT is continuing, with a total of 173,233 inspections in 2025 at the national level. It is also reiterated that joint action is continuing with the RENATRE.

B. Labour administration

In this regard, it is important to clarify that Argentina was experiencing a deep-rooted crisis and it was vital to adopt measures to overcome the emergency. The administrative reorganization of Act No. 27.742 therefore seeks to reduce the oversized State in order to achieve optimum resource allocation.

Particular considerations:

Criterion of “availability”: it should be noted that this concept was already envisaged by Act No. 25.742. The administrative career system has been retained to ensure the professional nature of the service.
Labour inclusion policies: STEySS Decision No. 295/26 (B.O. 13/04/26) established the Human Capital Training Programme. In addition, the Promoting Employment, Self-employment Programme (PEI), Interharvest and Good Harvest programmes are continuing.

The Labour Modernization Act No. 27.802 established the Labour Formalization Incentive System (RIFL), the objective of which is to promote the recruitment in the private sector of workers who did not have a registered employment relationship as of 10 December 2025 and the Labour Assistance Fund (FAL) as a financial tool to improve the compensation system.

Platform economy: Argentina has taken a pioneering role in its regulation and Act No. 27.802 established the personal mobility and/or sharing system for private services to ensure the protection and independence of the workers.
Minimum Mobile Living Wage Council: in accordance with the procedure established by section 137 of Act No. 24.013, Decision No. 9 of 2 December 2025 was adopted establishing the SMVM as a progressive measure until the month of August 2026.
Approval of agreements: contrary to the indication in the report, the administrative authority is in compliance with the statutory time limits, carries out exhaustive checks and requests the relevant clarifications. In this process, the time limit is calculated from the date of submission to the competent authority once the requirements have been fulfilled (section 6 of Act No. 23.546).
Social dialogue: sectoral bargaining, dynamic wages, task completion supplements, tax concessions, agreements to derogate from collective labour agreements, adjustment of working hours, the conclusion of crisis collective agreements, etc., are collective bargaining tools through which framework agreements have been concluded (Decree No. 633/18).

Indeed, emphasis should be placed on a historical milestone in agricultural collective bargaining on 13 May 2025 when the first collective agreement was concluded for rural workers (Act No. 27.802).

C. Conclusion

The nation is currently undergoing a process of reform, and the Government undertakes to analyse its consequences and request technical assistance from the Office to evaluate the operation of the labour inspection system at the federal, and particularly the provincial level. Moreover, although the Government of Argentina undertakes to keep the Committee informed on all the matters raised in its report, it should be emphasized that the comments made do not constitute serious failures of compliance. For this reason, it is respectfully requested that other means be chosen to resolve the matters raised.

Discussion by the Committee

Chairperson – We now go on to the fourth case today, which relates to the application of Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150 by the Republic of Argentina. We have 30 speakers on the list for the discussion of this case. On this basis, the Officers have decided to reduce the maximum speaking time of delegations speaking on an individual basis from five to three minutes. I now invite the Government representative of Argentina, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Argentina to the International Organizations in Geneva, to take the floor.

Government representative – It is an honour for me today to address this Committee as the representative of the Government of Argentina to report and defend our position in relation to the implementation of Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150. The Government of Argentina values the comments made by the Committee of Experts and also the concerns expressed by the General Confederation of Labour of the Argentine Republic (CGT), the Association of State Workers (ATE), the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Public Sector Workers (CLATE) and the Confederation of Workers of Argentina (CTA). I will now describe our action and responses to the matters raised.

With reference to the subject of labour inspection, the Government of Argentina considers that the number of inspectors is sufficient and guarantees the effective discharge of their duties. In Argentina, labour inspection is a function that is not delegated to the nation by the provinces or the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, which retain exclusive competence to inspect compliance with labour legislation and safety and health conditions. Federal competence for inspection is exceptional and relates to the transport of passengers, loads and river, maritime and lake activities, ports and airports. Within this framework of the division of competence, Act No. 25.212 endorses the Federal Labour Pact concluded by the national State, the provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, and its objectives are the unification of labour inspection criteria and the system of penalties for labour violations throughout the country.

In light of the above, the Government of Argentina considers that the quantitative analysis of the numbers of inspectors should be undertaken adding together the number of inspectors of the national administration, local jurisdictions and non-State public bodies with delegated inspection functions.

The national public administration accordingly has a service with dependent labour inspectors consisting of the STEySS, SRT and ARCA. Each of the provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires in turn have their own labour inspection services.

It is important to add that, in Argentina, in addition to the whole system of inspection described above, consisting of the services of each province, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and federal services, there are non-State public bodies which perform inspection duties, and which therefore have additional inspectors of their own for inspection duties. These include the Statistical and Registry Institute for the Construction Industry (IERIC), which was established in 1996 within the framework of collective negotiation between the Construction Workers’ Federation of the Argentine Republic (UOCRA), the Argentina Chamber of Construction (CAMARCO) and the Argentina Construction Federation (UAC). The IERIC currently carries out inspection, among other functions.

The National Register of Rural Workers and Employers (RENATRE) is a non-State public law peak body. Employers and workers covered by Act No. 25.191 are required to register with it and it also carries out inspection functions. The executive of the RENATRE is composed of four directors of the Argentine Federation of Rural Workers and Stevedores (UATRE) and four directors representing the most representative employers’ organizations in the sector: the Argentine Rural Association (SRA), Argentine Rural Confederation (CRA), the Argentine Agrarian Federation (FAA) and the Inter-cooperative Agricultural and Stock-raising Confederation (CONINAGRO).

Accordingly, with regard to the number of inspectors engaged in inspection functions in Argentina, it has to be concluded that it is sufficient and effective under the terms of Convention No. 81.

Second, in Argentina, the labour inspection system ensures the presence of a central authority in a federal system. In practice, the Government of Argentina ensures the central authority: the Secretariat of Labour, Employment and Social Security, under the authority of the Ministry of Human Capital, coordinates and sets common policies for the country as a whole within the framework of co-responsibility and cooperation (Act No. 25.212). Similarly, it should be added that, as the central authority, the STEySS is the headquarters of the Federal Labour Council (CFT), a body that ensures the greatest effectiveness of Government action in the various jurisdictions, as established by Act No. 25.212. Moreover, the National Plan for the Regularization of Labour (PNRT) is under the joint management of the national and provincial governments and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Under the terms of Act No. 25.212, the STEySS is also the authority responsible for the application of the SIDITYSS and exercises its functions in articulation with the provincial administrations and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

Third, In Argentina, labour inspectors are provided with means of transport and mobility allowances. In this respect, it is important to emphasize that all inspectors are in receipt of the monthly mobility allowance, which is intended to cover journeys on public transport required to carry out their daily functions. It is also established that, in the event that they have to travel over 50km from their workplace (the premises of regional agencies), service commissions are provided to inspectors consisting of a sum of money so that they can cover the necessary expenses for the discharge of their duties, including accommodation if they have to stay overnight in other cities. Both the central headquarters and the regional agencies of the STEySS have means of transport available.

Fourth, in relation to the information requested on the number of inspectors with tenure and the number employed on contracts at the federal level, the number of inspectors at the federal level is 316, of whom 263 have tenure and 53 are under contract. To this number, it is necessary to add the inspectors in the provincial administrations and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. In addition, the SRT has a total of 100 inspectors under permanent contracts and 20 under fixed-term contracts for one year with automatic renewal (Act No. 20.744).

Fifth, with regard to the measures taken to ensure penalties for unregistered work, in relation to the comment concerning the regulations repealed by Act No. 27.742 (Act on the basis and starting points for the freedom of Argentineans), which established financial penalties for employers for failure to comply with labour regulations, it should be noted that in essence they constituted a double burden, as employers were responsible for the same failure to comply with Act No. 25.212 (the “Federal Labour Pact”). However, as the comment covered by the above response bears no relation to the matters set out in Convention No. 81, it is requested that it is not taken into account.

With reference to the penalties adopted by the Government of Argentina, in the additional information provided by the Government, published on the web page of the Committee, there is a table describing the General System of Penalties for Labour Violations (REGESIL), which are applicable throughout the national territory (Act No. 25.212).

The table summarizes the system of labour violations set out in Argentine law, classifying them into four categories: light, serious, very serious and obstruction of labour inspection. The coverage of the penalties ranges from merely formal or administrative violations to conduct affecting the fundamental rights of workers, such as the absence of labour registration, situations of discrimination or serious occupational safety and health risks. The fines are determined in relation to the minimum mobile living wage (SMVM) and increase progressively on the basis of the category of violation and the likelihood of repeat offences, and may also give rise to additional sanctions, such as the temporary closure of the establishment, prohibition from entering into contracts with the State or inclusion on the Public Register of Employers with Labour Penalties (REPSAL).

For example, within the context of its competence to impose penalties, the Government of Argentina established the REPSAL, a public register which includes employers that have been penalized for labour violations, such as unregistered work or labour fraud. In the REPSAL, the final penalties are published for undeclared work, as well as penalties for obstructing labour inspection, judicial convictions for employment relations that are not recognized by the employer, penalties for violations of the prohibition of child labour and the protection of young workers, and penalties for violations of the Act on the prevention and punishment of trafficking in persons and assistance to victims. The list is updated on a daily basis. It includes employers that are currently covered by final penalties issued due to violations that have not been remedied, or if they have been remedied, remain in the Register for a period of between 30 days and three years, according to the violation, the date when the violation is remedied, the fine paid and the date of publication.

The publication of the penalty in the REPSAL implies for employers that have been penalized, while they remain on the register, that they are not able to: have access to programmes, assistance or development measures, benefits or subsidies administered, implemented or financed by the national State; benefit from credit granted by public banking institutions; conclude contracts for purchases and sales, supplies, services, rentals, consultancies, rentals with the option to buy, exchange deals, concessions for the use of public and private property of the national State, administered by the jurisdictions and bodies within their competence; participate in tendering processes for public works, public services and concessions, or benefit from the economic measures to promote tenders set out in Act No. 26.940.

If offenders repeat offences, they are excluded by law from the simplified system for small-scale contributors, in the case of single contributors, or offending employers are prohibited from deducting personnel costs from taxes on earnings (section 87(a) and (g) of the Act on taxation on earnings).

Sixth, it is considered that the numbers of inspectors in agriculture are sufficient, combined under all inspection systems (national, provincial and the RENATRE). There are a total of 316 federal inspectors, who discharge functions within the framework of the PNRT with full federal competence, but also carry out inspections in the agricultural sector (as well as provincial inspectors and those of the RENATRE).

Seventh, the Committee notes that unregistered work is largely prevalent in rural areas. Argentina is continuing to implement the PNRT at the national level, with joint action being taken with the RENATRE, and denunciations are received and action carried out to detect workers who are not registered and for their inclusion in the dependent staff.

Eighth, in relation to joint work with the RENATRE to combat child labour, exploitation and labour trafficking, within the context of the STEySS RENATRE Coordination Committee, the presence of children and situations of labour exploitation have been detected, and denunciations have been made so that the judicial system could intervene. The result of the work of the Coordination Committee was to improve the focus on the detection of violations.

Ninth, with regard to the coordination between national and provincial institutions and the RENATRE, in 2019, a cooperation agreement was concluded between the then Government Secretariat for Labour and Employment and the RENATRE to strengthen inspection and promote decent work in the agricultural sector, thereby avoiding the duplication of effort and enabling resources to be used by both bodies. Subsequently, in 2020, the then Secretariat of Labour of the former Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and the RENATRE concluded a supplementary agreement. On the basis of these agreements, coordinated and planned working methods were consolidated for the two bodies. The proposal, developed over six weeks with the ILO, was intended for provincial officials and actors related to the rural environment. It should also be noted that, on 15 May 2026, the RENATRE finalized the sixth cycle of online training on the prevention of child labour and the protection of young workers in the agricultural sector. The training provided tools for the understanding of social contexts and legislative frameworks, such as the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182), through which situations of child labour, unprotected work by young persons and other forms of labour exploitation in the agricultural sector can be identified and addressed. In the additional information that the Government has provided to the Committee, there is a table setting out the principal indicators of the Coordination Committee, which may be of interest.

Tenth, public expenditure austerity policies do not affect the continuity and strengthening of inspection services. These policies have not affected the labour inspection or rural inspection services, as the implementation of the PNRT is continuing, with a total of 173,233 inspections in 2025 at the national level. It is also reiterated that joint action is continuing with the RENATRE.

In relation to the subject of labour administration, allow me to start on this matter by recalling that in December 2023 Argentina was experiencing a deep-rooted crisis and it was vital to adopt measures to overcome the emergency. These measures included the administrative reorganization of Act No. 27.742 (Act on the basis and starting points for the freedom of Argentineans), which seeks to reduce the oversized State in order to achieve optimum resource allocation.

I will now make a number of specific comments.

For example, in relation to labour inclusion policies: STEySS Decision No. 295/26 (B.O. 13/04/26) established the Human Capital Training Programme. In addition, the Promoting Employment, Self-employment Programme (PEI), Interharvest and Good Harvest programmes are continuing. The Labour Modernization Act No. 27.802 established the Labour Formalization Incentive System (RIFL), the objective of which is to promote the recruitment in the private sector of workers who did not have a registered employment relationship as of 10 December 2025, and the Labour Assistance Fund as a financial tool to improve the compensation system.

With regard to the platform economy, Argentina has played a pioneering role in its regulation and Act No. 27.802 established the Personal Mobility and/or Sharing System for Private Services to ensure the protection and independence of workers.

In relation to the Minimum Mobile Living Wage Council, in accordance with the procedure established by section 137 of Act No. 24.013, Decision No. 9 of 2 December 2025 was adopted establishing the SMVM as a progressive measure until the month of August 2026.

With reference to the approval of agreements, contrary to the indication contained in the report of the Committee of Experts, the administrative authority is in compliance with the statutory time limits, carries out exhaustive checks and requests the relevant clarifications. In this process, the time limit is calculated from the date of submission to the administrative authority once the requirements have been fulfilled (section 6 of Act No. 23.546).

Concerning social dialogue, the national Government is maintaining fully in force the institutional mechanisms for dialogue with workers’ and employers’ organizations on freedom of association, the right to organize and collective bargaining, in line with fundamental labour principles and the international obligations assumed by the State of Argentina.

It should be emphasized that the existence of differences of criteria in relation to certain public policies cannot be interpreted as an absence of social dialogue. In any democratic society, dialogue does not necessarily imply consensus, but rather the possibility in practice for the various partners to express their positions within an institutional framework of mutual respect and independence.

The Government of Argentina reaffirms its commitment to institutionalized social dialogue based on respect for fundamental rights, the independence of the social partners and the search for agreements that contribute to economic growth, the creation of formal employment and the welfare of workers. Clear examples of social dialogue are provided by all the agreements concluded under Decree No, 633/18 (“Employers’ contributions to differential pension schemes” during the current administration). Indeed, emphasis should be placed on a historical milestone in agricultural collective bargaining on 13 May 2025, when the first collective agreement was concluded for rural workers (Act No. 27.802).

Employer members – We thank the Government of Argentina for the oral and written information provided for the examination of this case and we take due note of the comments made by the Committee of Experts. The Employer members wish to recall that Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150 form part of the institutional framework for ensuring the effective application of labour legislation in our countries. Labour inspection and administration systems are essential to promote labour formalization, improve compliance with labour regulation and ensure conditions of fair competition for enterprises that comply with their obligations. On this basis, we consider it important to analyse carefully the issues raised by the Committee of Experts.

A first aspect relates to the numbers of labour inspection staff. The Committee of Experts has noted the reduction in the number of labour inspectors with tenure in the Secretariat of Labour, Employment and Social Security, which has fallen from 385 inspectors and 312 inspection auxiliaries, as indicated previously, to 308 inspectors at the national level. Allegations have also been made concerning the impact that this reduction could have on the operational capacity of the inspection system.

The Employer members recognize that Article 10 of Convention No. 81 requires the number of inspectors to be sufficient to secure the effective discharge of their duties. It does not establish a specific number and Article 10 itself provides that due regard shall be had, in determining the effectiveness of the inspection service: of the number, nature, size and situation of the workplaces liable to inspection; the number and classes of workers employed in such workplaces; and the number and complexity of the legal provisions to be enforced. Consideration also has to be given to the institutional structure as a whole, the distribution of competence between the various levels of government, the coordination mechanisms that exist and the effective results achieved in relation to compliance. Accordingly, the number in itself does not amount to an indicative or definitive figure determining the effectiveness of inspection services.

We note that the available information only covers the national level. We therefore consider it particularly important for the Government to provide consolidated information on the inspection system as a whole, including structures at the level of the provinces and inspectors working under the national Secretariat of Labour, the SRT and the ARCA, as well as in each provincial jurisdiction and the province of Buenos Aires, as a basis for a full assessment of the inspection capacity that exists in practice in the Republic of Argentina.

The Committee of Experts expresses concern at the coordination difficulties between the national authority (the federal level) and provincial authorities. The Employer members recognize that effective coordination is an important element in ensuring the coherence of the inspection system. The Government claims that there is a central authority in Argentina which sets common policies for the country as a whole within a framework of co-responsibility and cooperation (Act No. 25.212) and various authorities exercise coordination functions with the provincial authorities. The Employer members recall that the existence of different administrative levels does not in itself constitute non-compliance with the Conventions under examination. The fundamental issue is to determine whether there are adequate mechanisms for supervision, the exchange of information and institutional coordination to ensure the effective enforcement of the labour legislation throughout the country.

We therefore encourage the Government to strengthen existing coordination mechanisms, particularly for the compilation of statistics, the exchange of information and the joint planning of inspection activities.

With reference to material, financial and human inspection resources and the annual report, the Committee of Experts also noted allegations concerning budgetary limitations affecting the level of resources necessary for the discharge of inspection functions, particularly in relation to the employment stability and conditions of service of labour inspectors. The Employer members consider that inspectors must have adequate means for the effective discharge of their duties, particularly in a country with a large territory and varied and geographically dispersed economic activities. At the same time, we observe that the budgetary restrictions referred to are occurring in the context of a broader process of administrative reorganization and fiscal consolidation. Conventions Nos 81 and 129 do not establish specific levels of public expenditure applied to inspection, but do require the inspection services to have at their disposal the necessary means for the effective discharge of their duties.

In this context, we consider it particularly important for the Government to provide information on the real impact of these measures on inspection activities and on the measures adopted to improve the efficient allocation of resources, such as the application of new technologies in inspection services.

We also encourage the Government to comply in full with its obligations relating to the preparation and publication of the annual inspection reports envisaged in Articles 20 and 21 of Convention No. 81 and Articles 26 and 27 of Convention No. 129. In Article 20, Convention No. 81 establishes the requirement for the central inspection authority to publish an annual report on the work of the inspection services, which shall be published within 12 months of the period under analysis. Moreover, this report has to be sent to the Director-General of the ILO and must contain various types of information: the applicable legislation; the staff of the labour inspection service; statistics, including those on workplaces liable to inspection, inspection visits, violations and penalties imposed, industrial accidents and occupational diseases reported. Only when we have this information will we be able to ensure the definitive effectiveness of the inspection services.

With regard to the request for information on the measures adopted to ensure that the penalties for unregistered work are adequate and applied effectively, in accordance with Article 18 of Convention No. 81 and Article 24 of Convention No. 129, we note the Government’s reply indicating that the repeal of the provisions by Act No. 27.742 in essence implied ending a double penalty and that now employers are liable to graduated fines in accordance with Act No. 25.212, which continue to be fully in force. The Government adds that the REPSAL publishes the various types of penalties imposed for violations of the provisions in force in the different areas.

We also note that the inclusion of an offender in the REPSAL, in the register of labour violations, also involves the loss of a series of benefits and incentives, which has an additional dissuasive effect.

We should therefore conclude that this system of penalties is adequate, in accordance with Article 18 of Convention No. 81

With regard to the labour inspection system, the Committee of Experts expressed concern at the effective operation of the labour inspection system in agriculture, particularly in the most remote rural areas. The Government has indicated that inspection in the agricultural sector is carried out through the coordinated action of various bodies, including the national and provincial inspection services, and the RENATRE. It has also indicated that action to detect cases of unregistered work, child labour, labour exploitation and trafficking in persons has been strengthened through coordination mechanisms between the various competent authorities.

The Employer members fully endorse the importance of ensuring effective supervision in the agricultural sector, taking into account the specific characteristics of the sector, including the geographical dispersion of workplaces and the seriousness of certain violations which may occur in rural areas. At the same time, we consider that assessment of the effectiveness of the system requires a broader analysis which includes the criteria used for the planning of inspections, the distribution of competence between the various administrative levels, etc. We therefore call on the Government to continue strengthening the coverage and effectiveness of inspections in the agricultural sector, particularly in remote areas, and to provide further information on the measures adopted to strengthen the specialized technical capacities of inspectors and improve coordination between the various competent institutions.

Finally, we understand that this new manner adopted by the Committee of Experts of examining several Conventions together requires an additional effort to be able to take into account all the comments and give the views of the social partners.

With reference to the operation of the labour administration system, the Committee of Experts expressed concern at its effective operation following the institutional reforms undertaken by the Government since the end of 2023, including the establishment of the Ministry of Human Capital. In particular, the Committee of Experts notes the observations relating to the reorganization of the administrative structure, the reduction of human and financial resources, the functioning of certain specialized institutions and the capacity of the system to respond to the new employment legislation. We note the indication by the Government that the country is experiencing a deep-rooted crisis and that the new organization of the administration seeks to reduce the oversized state and achieve optimum resource allocation.

Worker members – I would first like to thank the Government of the Argentine Republic for the contributions and information it has provided to this Committee, regarding the application of Convention No. 150 on labour administration. However, following a thorough, technical analysis of the report by the Committee of Experts and the serious evidence presented by the Argentine trade union organizations, from whom we will be hearing soon, we remain seriously concerned by the alarming gap between international obligations and the current State practice in the country. What we are raising here is not a mere technical issue nor a debate on administrative procedures. We are facing a deliberate process of dismantling State administrative capacities, that undermines the real possibility of designing, coordinating, implementing and monitoring labour policies throughout the national territory.

As the 2024 General Survey of the Committee of Experts, “Labour administration in a changing world of work”, rightly points out, the labour administration system plays a central role in promoting social peace through sound labour relations, which is impossible to achieve without democratic and participatory public institutions. In view of the current circumstances, the Committee of Experts expressly calls on the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure the effective organization and functioning of the labour administration system, as provided for in Articles 4 and 10 of Convention No. 150. It is imperative, in this analysis, to examine the observations on Convention No. 81 and Convention No. 129 together, given that the Committee of Experts has decided to address the labour administration and inspection Conventions comprehensively, in order to provide an overview of the situation in Argentina. This integrated analysis shows that the effective operation required by Convention No. 150 is seriously compromised by the failure to provide resources to the inspection sector, where the central authority has barely 308 inspectors for the entire territory, a number which the Committee of Experts considers insufficient to ensure the performance of inspection functions.

The Committee of Experts has been unequivocal in urging the Government to ensure that there are sufficient inspectors and that they have job security, adequate transport and travel allowances, warning that austerity policies are paralysing basic operations in rural and remote areas. Ensuring effective organization and operation entails, according to Convention No. 150, the implementation of measures designed to ensure that the functions and responsibilities of the system are properly coordinated throughout the territory. This involves establishing procedures appropriate to national conditions, and ensuring consultation, cooperation and negotiation between the public authorities and the most representative organizations of employers and workers. This coordination and dialogue must be effectively implemented at the national, regional and local levels, as well as across the various sectors of economic activity.

The decision to downgrade the Ministry of Labour to the rank of a Secretariat was not a neutral measure. It entailed a loss of status, a reduction in structures, the dismissal of specialist staff and the weakening of technical capacities built up over many years. Furthermore, the reform of the Framework Act on the regulation of national public employment is in direct conflict with Article 10 of Convention No. 150, as it allows staff enjoying job security to be dismissed at the discretion of the authorities on the grounds of optimal staffing levels, thereby undermining the independence that public officials must have from external influences. The Committee of Experts has also requested information from the Government on the measures adopted or planned to gradually extend the system’s coverage to workers in non-standard forms of employment, in accordance with Article 7 of the Convention. In this regard, Argentine trade unions draw attention to the serious situation of job insecurity faced by platform workers in the country. We express our deep concern regarding the recent labour reform, approved without effective consultation, which incorporates a special regime for these workers. The explicit exclusion of a large sector of workers from the scope of the Employment Contracts Act deprives these workers of the fundamental guarantees of labour law.

With regard to the application of Article 5 of Convention No. 150, the Committee of Experts notes that social dialogue in Argentina has been weakened drastically since December 2023. Trade unions express their alarm at the elimination and disruption of the normal functioning of the institutionalized forums for dialogue, as well as at the unilateral interference in collective bargaining through systematic delays in the ratification of collective agreements. We note that the use of emergency decrees, or laws undergoing legislative consideration without adequate consultation processes to introduce structural changes which deprive workers of fundamental and inherent labour protections, constitutes a clear departure from the principles of Convention No. 150.

We would like to recall that Convention No. 150, through effective implementation that prioritizes and strengthens labour administration, provides fundamental tools to address the reality of the world of work based on two key premises: that labour is not a commodity and that labour relations require robust, democratic and participatory public institutions. This role must be carried out in full respect of the principles of freedom of association and collective bargaining. We urge the Government of the Argentine Republic to guarantee consultation, cooperation and negotiation as the only way to ensure social peace and compliance with international standards.

We must be clear that what we are denouncing today are not isolated, technical management errors. They form part of a systematic policy of dismantling social protection in Argentina. By undermining labour authority, defunding inspection, making public sector employment precarious and emptying tripartite dialogue of its substance, the Government is breaking the social contract on which our Organization is founded.

It is essential to understand that, while we are currently focusing on Conventions Nos 150, 129 and 81 as they fall within the Committee’s cycle of review, these complaints form part of a widespread government-driven rollback of the entire system of labour rights, both individual and collective. This critical situation includes increasing job insecurity, mass redundancies in the public sector that jeopardize the State’s technical independence, and a drastic fall in real wages, all against the backdrop of systematic failure to comply with policies on social dialogue and tripartite consultation. It is our expectation that the Government will take urgent steps to address these violations in law and practice, with the assistance of the ILO.

Employer member, Argentina – Allow me to share the views of the employers of Argentina on the issues raised in relation to Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150 on labour inspection and administration, in respect of which references to other international Conventions not related to these cases should not be taken into account.

Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150 form part of the institutional framework that ensures the effective application of labour legislation in Argentina. From the viewpoint of the Employers, we consider that labour inspection and administration systems are tools of great importance, not only for workers, but also for enterprises that are in compliance with their obligations. A weak inspection system is not only prejudicial to workers, but also gives rise to distortions in competition by failing to guarantee uniform compliance with labour legislation by all enterprises. Employers in Argentina therefore have a direct interest in the system of labour inspection being efficient, predictable and technically competent.

With regard to the number of inspectors, Article 10 of Convention No. 81 requires the number of inspectors to be sufficient to secure the effective discharge of their duties. The same requirement is set out by Convention No. 129 for inspection services in agriculture.

In the first place, we refer to the indications provided by the Government of Argentina on the distribution of competence within the federal Government and the fact that the number of inspectors taken into account in the report of the Committee of Experts only corresponds to the national level. Without prejudice to the obligations set out in Convention No. 81, it needs to be borne in mind that the basic competence for labour inspection in Argentina is vested with the provinces, and is not delegated to the central Government.

Second, we understand that, in order to assess the effectiveness and sufficiency of the system, it is not enough to simply count the number of inspectors. If there has been a decrease in their numbers, it is necessary to assess the other changes that have followed, such as whether there have been improvements in technology or procedures which enable inspectors to improve their capacity to deal with cases.

In this regard, we consider that it would be necessary in the first place to verify the consolidated information on the inspection system as a whole, including not only the national structure, but also the inspectors working within the framework of the SRT and the ARCA, as well as the structures in each of the provincial jurisdictions and other bipartite decentralized public administration bodies, such as the Statistics Institute, the IERIC and the RENATRE. Only with this full information will it be possible to carry out an adequate assessment of the real inspection capacity of the system.

The Committee of Experts has expressed concern at coordination problems between the national authority and provincial authorities. In this regard, we are bound to emphasize that Act No. 25.212, known as the Federal Labour Pact, sets out common policies for the country as a whole within a framework of co-responsibility and cooperation, and that various authorities carry out functions in coordination with the provinces.

As indicated by our spokesperson, the existence of different administrative levels, national and provincial, does not imply incompatibility with the Conventions. Argentina is a federal State and the ILO is fully aware of that. The fundamental issue is not the structure, but determining whether adequate mechanisms exist and the challenges that arise in relation to supervision, the exchange of information and institutional coordination in order to ensure the effective enforcement of labour legislation throughout the territory.

Allegations have been made concerning budgetary limitations affecting the necessary resources for the discharge of inspection functions. These measures, in any case, have been adopted within the context of a broader situation of economic crisis, administrative reorganization and fiscal consolidation, as described by the Government representative. We understand that there is a pending obligation in relation to the publication of annual inspection reports, which are a necessary tool to assess the real operation of the system and guide any strengthening measures.

With reference to the penalties envisaged in Article 18 of Convention No. 81 and Article 24 of Convention No. 129, we wish to indicate with regard to the provisions repealed by Act No. 27.742 that their purpose was to eliminate a dual penalty, and that the graduated fines set out in Act No. 25.212 continue to be fully implemented by the labour administration. The fines set out in repealed Act No. 24.013 were not effective in limiting unregistered work, and only served to increase litigation when work contracts were terminated, giving rise to disproportionate financial compensation. These fines that have been repealed also applied to labour relations that were appropriately registered, but which were understood by the courts, on the basis of workers being provided with mobile phones or cars by the enterprise, as giving rise to all the fines. Moreover, the financial weight of the fines only benefited workers who took their cases to court, not the fiscal authorities. The system that has been abolished was not therefore effective in promoting appropriate registration.

The Committee of Experts has expressed concern with regard to the effective operation of the labour inspection system in agriculture, particularly in the most remote rural areas. The Government indicates that agricultural inspection activities are carried out through the coordinated action of various bodies, including the national and provincial inspection services, as well as the RENATRE, and that action has been strengthened for the detection of unregistered workers, child labour and trafficking in persons, through training activities for inspectors carried out with ILO support.

The Committee of Experts also expressed concern regarding the effective functioning of the labour administration system following the various institutional reforms undertaken since the end of 2023, including the creation of the Ministry of Human Capital, which absorbed the functions of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, as well as other ministries, and the consequent reduction of human and financial resources.

It is important for the Committee to bear in mind the serious crisis which gave rise to the reform of the State administration in our country. In this context, it is to be hoped that the administrative reform process will overcome challenges relating to the efficient allocation of adequate resources for the discharge of its functions. We encourage the Government to make every effort to maintain the capacity to give effect to the Conventions under examination following the reorganization.

Finally, the Committee of Experts has expressed concern at the operation of certain tripartite consultation and cooperation mechanisms, with particular reference to Article 5 of Convention No. 150 and the functioning of the National Council on Employment, Productivity and the Minimum, Living and Mobile Wage. We wish to note that the Wage Council is fully operational with the due representation of the social partners. The Standing Advisory Committee of the Occupational Risks Act is also in full operation, and a project for the prevention of occupational risks is being discussed by the tripartite partners.

The Employers consider that social dialogue is one of the fundamental pillars of effective labour administration. Tripartite institutions play an essential role in promoting predictability, trust and stability in labour relations. We say this with confidence and conviction, as we are a constituent part of these institutions. We therefore believe that it is essential to maintain social dialogue mechanisms that operate as a framework for consultation, cooperation and negotiation between the public authorities and representative organizations of employers and workers, and to strengthen existing social dialogue mechanisms.

Worker member, Argentina – I am speaking on behalf of the three trade union confederations of Argentina with the firm intention of highlighting the serious breaches of international labour standards by my country’s Government. What we are bringing before you today is not a dispute over administrative technicalities or mere budgetary adjustments; it is a formal complaint at the systematic dismantling of a democratic model of labour governance that took us decades to build and which the current national Government has been tearing down since December 2023.

We are here to denounce, within the framework of Convention No. 150, a process of structural transformation that undermines the ability to design, coordinate, implement and monitor labour policies throughout the country.

What is happening in Argentina is not a series of isolated reforms; it is the construction of a political, economic and institutional project aimed at fundamentally redefining the model of labour relations in place since the return to democracy in Argentina. All under an unacceptable premise: that worker protection is an obstacle to the economy.

This is not our interpretation; it is the confession of the man who, in his capacity as President of the nation, currently administers the State and defines himself as a “mole” tasked with destroying it from within, whilst proclaiming that social justice is a violent and unjust aberration, or in his own words, the cancer of Argentina. And that very criterion of social justice, promoted and guaranteed by the ILO, is precisely what places people at the centre of any regulations for the protection of workers.

Convention No. 150 is not regulatory window-dressing; it is the backbone established by the ILO to ensure that labour policies are developed through social participation and dialogue.

The first clear sign of this shift was the downgrading of the Ministry of Labour to the status of a Secretariat. But this is not merely a matter of organizational structure; it represents a profound functional downgrading. This was not a neutral decision. By placing the labour portfolio within a Ministry, namely that of Human Development, which brings this area of labour into contact with such disparate sectors as health or education, its capacity for influence and coordination has been diluted. Convention No. 150 requires a coordinated, effective administrative system endowed with social legitimacy. A system without hierarchy, without resources and without operational autonomy is, quite simply, a system that does not exist.

Since 2023, State organizational structures in Argentina have been scaled back, specialist staff have been laid off on a massive scale, and the technical and operational capacity built up over years to intervene in the world of work has been dismantled.

This erosion has been exacerbated by the reform of the Framework Act on the Regulation of Public Employment (Act No. 25.164), which allows staff with permanent status to be dismissed if, at the Administration’s discretion, there is an “excess in optimum staffing levels”. We are witnessing the legalization of job insecurity at the very heart of the State.

The Government has opted for authoritarianism in unilateralism. Within days of taking office, it issued Emergency Decree (DNU) No. 70/2, which introduced one of the most far-reaching labour reforms since the return to democracy, deliberately bypassing parliamentary debate and institutionalized social dialogue.

Subsequently, the so-called Basic Act (No. 27.742) and, more recently, the Labour Modernization Act (No. 27.802) consolidated this paradigm of flexibilization. Both Acts were designed and pushed through unilaterally, with the aim of dismantling labour rights, freedom of association, collective bargaining and the right to strike, contradicting and violating the fundamental principle of tripartite participation enshrined in the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144). The Committee of Experts has been clear: reforms with a major impact must be developed through genuine consultation processes with representative organizations. In Argentina, tripartism has been replaced by imposition.

I would cite a particularly telling example of the Government’s drift: on the very day of the start of the Conference (not a harmless coincidence), we became aware, through their publication, of decrees issued by the National Executive which, between regulatory excess and violations of the National Constitution, are once again in violation of Convention No. 150, undermining freedom of association and individual and collective rights. In addition to this is the imposition of summary administrative decisions and fines running into millions against organizations such as the La Fraternidad trade union and the Tramworkers’ Federation (UTA) for exercising their legitimate right to strike.

For other reasons, there is also the case of the intervention in the Metalworkers’ Federation (UOM).

Another clear example of the Government’s violations relates to labour inspection, which is covered by Conventions Nos 81 and 129. The Committee of Experts’ report confirms our worst fears: there is a critical shortage of inspectors, compounded by a lack of structure and budget. I cite the example of the agricultural sector, governed by Convention No. 129, where inspection is practically non-existent, leaving rural workers in an absolute inspection vacuum.

The absence of State oversight, promoted by the Government, is leading to the destruction of labour rights. This is not “labour modernization”: it is about making work more precarious. The State’s dismantling of labour administration is evident in the scrapping of strategic bodies. From 2023 until February 2026, the centralized National Public Administration saw a reduction of 29 per cent in the State workforce.

Added to this is the destruction of other fundamental State institutions, leading to the present and future devastation of the pillars of our country’s social and productive system, as illustrated by a few examples:

Science and technology: at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), the country’s leading scientific body, which provides significant support to the productive system, more than 4,000 jobs have been lost and the recruitment of competitively selected researchers has been halted.
Infrastructure: investment in public works has been halted, with the consequent impact on one of the main drivers of job creation.
Industrial and agricultural technology: at the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI) and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), institutional autonomy has been undermined and hundreds of technicians have been made redundant.
Social policies: the former Ministry of Social Development has been downgraded, leading to the closure of regional referral centres, the dismissal of workers and the scrapping of employment promotion schemes.
Human rights and gender: the Secretariat of Human Rights has been downgraded, and the Ministry for Women was abolished.
Higher education: the underfunding of universities is critical, with salary cuts of over 40 per cent, which jeopardizes the survival of a free public university model that has served as an example for the region and the world.
The pensions system: the lack of protection for retired workers, with the failure to adjust their pensions accordingly and the resulting food insecurity, compounded by the deliberate deterioration of health protection systems.
The disability care system: underfunding, the withdrawal of benefits and mistreatment within the care system for working families.

Finally, we denounce the policy of criminalizing social conflict. Through Decision No. 943/2023 of the Ministry of Security, labour disputes have ceased to be a social and labour issue and are now treated as a matter of criminal policy. The Government has prioritized the use of rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons over institutional mediation.

It is abundantly clear that the erosion of Convention No. 150 is being used as a tool to undermine the very heart of our system for protecting workers. Unless there is an immediate change of course, which does not appear to be the Government’s intention at present, and unless constructive tripartite institutional social dialogue is initiated, we will be forced to take all available courses of action to denounce the non-observance of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98). The organized labour movement in Argentina, assuming its historic responsibility and its commitment to workers, maintains its stance with conviction. We do so on the streets, in every popular mobilization and in this important international arena. Our objective is the fundamental defence of workers’ rights and the dignity of work and workers. We do so with all the strength and creativity of which we are capable with a view to restoring a prosperous Argentina, with equitable development and decent work, as a fundamental tool for social justice and the common good. Workers are not cogs in the machine serving the economy. The economy is an effective tool for creating the well-being of workers.

Government member, Cyprus – I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its Member States. The candidate countries, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, the European Free Trade Association country Norway, Member of the European Economic Area, as well as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, align themselves with this statement. The EU and its Member States are committed to the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights, including labour rights. We promote the universal ratification and effective implementation of fundamental ILO Conventions and support the ILO supervisory system in its crucial role of promoting and supervising the application of ratified standards.

While we note the information provided by the Government regarding the delegation of duties to the provinces and the possible difficulties in collecting information, we request the Government, in line with the comments of the Committee of Experts, to review the operations of the labour inspection system, to identify shortcomings relating to coordination as well as the number of inspectors at the federal and provincial levels, and to strengthen the capacity of the labour inspectorate, including by providing adequate funding and equipment. We call on the Government to take additional measures to ensure the effective organization and functioning of the labour administration system, in particular by ensuring that there are sufficient inspectors and by placing the labour inspectorate under the supervision and control of a central authority, as provided for in Conventions Nos 81 and 129. We further request information on the steps taken, or plans, to extend the functions of the labour administration system to workers in non-standard forms of employment or in atypical forms of employment, in accordance with Article 7 of Convention No. 150. Concerning the situation and stability of employment and the conditions of service of labour inspectors, we encourage the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the inspectorate is composed of public officials whose legal status and conditions of service guarantee stability of employment.

We request the Government to ensure the effective functioning of the labour inspection system in agriculture, as enshrined in Convention No. 129, including in the remote rural areas referred to by the General Confederation of Labour of the Argentine Republic. We request the Government to provide information on the labour inspections carried out at the provincial level and the penalties imposed, the inspectors having tenure and the number employed on contracts at the federal and provincial levels, as well as the measures taken to ensure that adequate and effective penalties for unregistered work are applied. In addition, we urge the Government to ensure that the central inspection authority publishes an annual report on the work of the labour inspectorate, covering the subjects indicated in Article 21 of Convention No. 81 and Article 27 of Convention No. 129. Lastly, we encourage the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure consultation, cooperation and negotiation between the public authorities and the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations, and to provide information on the functioning of the tripartite bodies. The EU and its Member States will continue to follow the situation closely and remain committed to supporting the effective application of international labour standards.

Employer member, Costa Rica – The Employers’ group has listened carefully to this afternoon’s debate on the case of Argentina, and I would like to address an aspect that we consider fundamental to a balanced and fair assessment of the case: the way in which the adequacy and effectiveness of the labour inspection system in Argentina are analysed.

Argentina is a federal State. By constitutional mandate, the provinces have primary competence in the field of labour inspection, while the national Government performs coordination functions, and this institutional situation needs to be taken into account when assessing compliance with Convention No. 81. When the Committee of Experts analyses the figures for inspectors available at the national level, it is important to remember that they represent only part of the system. A comprehensive assessment must take into account: inspectors from the SRT and ARCA; inspection resources in the 23 provinces and in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires; and inspectors in decentralized bodies and non-state public entities, such as the RENATRE and the IERIC, which have their own inspectors and specific responsibilities in key sectors such as agriculture and construction.

For this reason, we ask the Committee to bear this complexity in mind before drawing up its conclusions. Only by taking these aspects into account and adopting a comprehensive view of the system can it be assessed whether the system’s actual inspection capacity is sufficient under the terms of the Convention. At the same time, we recognize that the availability and consolidation of information constitutes a significant challenge. For this reason, we encourage the Government to continue strengthening the collection, consolidation and publication of comprehensive and comparable statistics on the functioning of the inspection system at all levels (national and provincial).

Having consolidated information on the number of inspectors, the inspections carried out, the sectors covered and the penalties imposed will not only enable the Committee to make a more accurate and objective assessment of compliance with the obligations arising from Articles 20 and 21 of the Convention, but will also provide a basis for a genuine evaluation. The complexity of a federal system should not be viewed as an obstacle, nor used as an excuse for inaction, but rather as an institutional feature that must be given due consideration when examining this case.

Worker member, Uruguay – We are speaking on behalf of the Inter-Union Assembly of Workers – Workers’ National Convention (PIT-CNT), Uruguay’s sole trade union confederation, in the context of the consideration of the report of the Committee of Experts and, specifically, Convention No. 150. Beyond the euphemisms and technicalities, what we are seeing in Argentina is a series of structural changes that directly affect the functioning of labour administration and the capacity of the State to ensure the effective protection of labour rights. From this perspective, we consider these measures to be incompatible with the obligations of the State under Convention No. 150.

The downgrading of the Ministry of Labour to the rank of a Secretariat is a particularly significant development, as it raises serious questions regarding the institutional standing, operational autonomy and coordinating capacity required for an effective labour administration.

Similarly, measures affecting stability in public employment and allowing discretionary dismissals undermine the technical independence that should characterize the bodies responsible for applying and enforcing labour legislation, directly affecting the ability to maintain strong institutions capable of carrying out the duties envisaged by the Convention.

An examination of the inspection and enforcement system reveals serious weaknesses in the State’s inspection capacity, stemming from the shortage of human resources available to ensure adequate coverage of the national territory, and the extremely low level of inspections in sectors particularly prone to informality, such as rural labour. When this is combined with the removal of penalties for undeclared work, the result is a framework that reduces incentives for compliance and undermines the effectiveness of labour protection. In our view, this situation should be considered in the light of Conventions Nos 81 and 129, which are closely linked to the effectiveness of the labour administration system.

The reduction in State capacity, the dismantling of technical and provincial programmes, and the loss of specialist staff have a direct impact on the delivery of essential services relating to labour and social protection, resulting in the loss of rights in practice.

For these reasons, we call for due note to be taken of the seriousness of the situation and for the Argentine Government to be urged to adopt specific measures to restore a labour administration with the necessary institutional standing, independence, adequate resources and effective tripartite consultation mechanisms, in full compliance with Convention No. 150 and in line with the obligations under Conventions Nos 81 and 129.

Government Member, Switzerland – Switzerland supports the statement made by the European Union and wishes to make the following points. Switzerland notes with interest the observations of the Committee of Experts, and the information provided by the Government of Argentina concerning the application of Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150.

With regard to labour inspection, Switzerland notes with concern that the system continues to face significant challenges, particularly in terms of human and material resources, and coordination between the federal and provincial levels. This is an issue with which Switzerland is also familiar, and my country would be willing to share its expertise with Argentina.

With regard to the agricultural sector, Switzerland notes the activities carried out in cooperation with the RENATRE, and the inspections already conducted. We note, however, that significant challenges remain, including insufficient coverage of remote rural areas, the persistence of undeclared work and child labour. We encourage the Argentine authorities to strengthen institutional coordination and the effectiveness of inspections.

With regard to penalties, Switzerland notes the information provided and emphasizes the importance of ensuring a system that is sufficiently dissuasive and effectively enforced.

With regard to the status of inspectors, Switzerland recalls the importance of stable and adequate conditions of employment in order to ensure the independence and effectiveness of labour inspection services.

Regarding labour administration, Switzerland notes the institutional reforms currently under way and encourages the authorities to ensure that these reforms strengthen the system’s capacity to take effective action, including in response to developments in the labour market.

Finally, Switzerland emphasizes the importance of social dialogue and encourages the Government of Argentina to ensure the effective functioning of tripartite consultation mechanisms. Switzerland also notes the information provided in response to the observations of the Committee of Experts and encourages the Government of Argentina to continue its efforts for the full application of ratified Conventions, in cooperation with the social partners and, where appropriate, availing itself of the technical assistance available from the ILO.

Government member, Honduras – Our delegation wishes to thank the Republic of Argentina for the information provided and the dialogue conducted with the ILO supervisory bodies. We note with interest the reference to the need to adopt measures to strengthen labour inspection and improve coordination between the different levels of the Government and the competent institutions, taking into account the specific characteristics of the country’s federal structure. We also welcome the continued initiatives aimed at preventing labour informality and promoting compliance with labour legislation, and the specific efforts undertaken in the agricultural sector through cooperation with the RENATRE to address situations of unregistered work and protect rural workers. We also note the willingness expressed by the Government of Argentina to continue collaborating with the ILO and to make use of the cooperation and technical assistance available in order to continue improving the labour inspection and administration systems. We also consider relevant the fact that these efforts are being made in a context of economic recovery and reforms aimed at promoting formalization, productivity and the generation of employment opportunities for the benefit of workers and employers. We therefore encourage the Government to continue making progress with these initiatives and to pursue constructive dialogue with the social partners and the ILO.

Employer member, Guatemala – In my statement, I wish to focus on the application of Convention No. 150 and on the functioning of the labour administration system in Argentina following the reforms initiated in 2023. Based on the information provided, and from what we have heard here in the room, we understand that the creation of the Ministry of Human Capital, which absorbed the functions of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, was an institutional policy decision adopted in the context of a severe financial crisis. Convention No. 150 does not prescribe any specific ministerial structure. It is relevant in this case to reiterate that each State has the sovereign power to organize its administration as it deems appropriate.

However, what Convention No. 150 does require, in Articles 4 and 10, is that, irrespective of the structure adopted, the system functions effectively and has sufficient resources. This is the applicable standard and is the one that this Committee must evaluate: not the form, but the substance. Article 5 of Convention No. 150 requires consultation, cooperation and negotiation with representative organizations of employers and workers. This is not a formal mandate; it is the basis for a functioning labour relations system.

The Employers do not support tripartism solely as a matter of principle. We support it because we live by it. When social dialogue works, labour policies are stronger and more balanced, there are fewer disputes and standards have greater legitimacy. When social dialogue is weakened, all parties lose out. We therefore urge the Government to: ensure the regular functioning of the National Council on Employment, Productivity and the Minimum Living Mobile Wage; maintain sectoral dialogue mechanisms and consultation with employers’ and workers’ organizations; and report to this Committee on the schedule and outcomes of these bodies. Convention No. 150 should not be interpreted as an obstacle to institutional reforms, but rather as a guide to design them efficiently, in keeping with the specific features of each socio-economic structure and the characteristics of each system of government.

Worker member, Brazil – The case of Argentina concerns the violation of the so-called governance Conventions, which are essential to transform fundamental rights and principles at work into practical realities. This is where the gravity of the violation of these Conventions lies, since failure to comply with them undermines the observance of the other international commitments undertaken by Argentina, adversely affecting those who earn their living through work.

The Ministry of Labour has lost its ministerial status and has become a Secretariat of the Ministry of Human Capital. This downgrading and the recent labour reforms have changed the focus of inspection and social protection policies with the aim of limiting the role of the State, based on the premise that the protection of workers is a hindrance to the economy.

The progressive dismantling of national labour policy has included staff reductions, budget cuts and a loss of inspection capacities. This has resulted in a weaking in three areas, involving a loss of hierarchy, operational autonomy and the capacity for centralized coordination required by Convention No. 150. As a consequence, the capacity has been reduced capacity to respond rapidly to allegations of abuse and poor working conditions at the local level, particularly in rural areas and regions with long-standing structural asymmetries, which contributes to systems of extreme exploitation, child labour and hours of work exceeding the legal limits.

In addition, fines for unregistered or incompletely registered work have been abolished and replaced by a system that waives debts and overlooks violations for employers who voluntarily regularize the labour relations of their employees.

The reality is that, contrary to the promise of “modernization”, the labour reforms have resulted in increased rates of unemployment and informality. More and more people are working with no stability or rights, which has a direct impact on income and living conditions. Moreover, as noted by the Committee of Experts, the institutionalization of social dialogue has been weakened. In effect, the Government has abolished social dialogue, using legislative loopholes to establish, without genuine tripartite consultation, a political plan aimed at redefining the system of industrial relations. In this Committee, we have heard countless times that there can be no effective democracy without strong trade unions capable of giving voice to the working class and defending their interests. This is what this case is about. Freedom of demonstration. Social dialogue. Democracy.

Government member, Costa Rica – Costa Rica notes with interest the information provided by the Government of Argentina on the measures taken to strengthen labour inspection and administration, in accordance with Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150, amidst the challenges that it is facing in terms of administrative coordination.

We particularly welcome the efforts described to broaden the scope of inspections, increase their number and strengthen the protection of workers through more effective oversight and enforcement mechanisms for labour legislation. We also welcome the measures taken to combat undeclared work, child labour and hazardous work by young persons, as well as to protect the most vulnerable workers, particularly in rural areas. We welcome the initiatives aimed at promoting solutions in various sectors of the economy, which reflect the capacity of the tripartite system to generate responses adapted to the realities of the workplace and production.

We therefore highlight the Government’s willingness to continue cooperating with the ILO and to avail itself of the technical assistance of the Office to continue strengthening its institutional capacities. We consider that technical cooperation and the exchange of good practices are valuable instruments to reinforce effective and inclusive results-based labour inspection and administration systems.

Employer member, Uruguay – We note the financial crisis that motivated the State reform in Argentina, but this context does not exempt it from its obligations to the ILO. Convention No. 150 is still fully in force. The specific question we must answer is whether this reform is consistent with the provisions of the Convention, which includes both provisions that are clearly optional, as well as those that are compulsory. To properly evaluate the reforms made with respect to this Convention, information will be needed on the performance of the new labour administration, including specific information on its functioning. In any case, it may be necessary to strengthen consultation and tripartite mechanisms, in line with the provisions of Article 5 of the Convention.

ILO technical assistance could serve as a tool to achieve three objectives: (i) identifying the coordination challenges faced by this new labour administration system; (ii) strengthening provincial labour inspection and administration capacities; and (iii) consolidating statistical information systems as a basis for assessing the performance of the new system. Accepting ILO technical assistance is a sign of institutional maturity that the employers support.

Worker member, Spain – We are here today to report the serious and systematic violations of Conventions Nos 81, 129, and 150 by the Government of Argentina. Convention No. 150, in particular, requires an effective labour administration system provided with resources, staff, presence throughout the country and coordination capacity. However, the facts demonstrate an accelerated process of institutional dismantling, as recognized by both the Committee of Experts and official data. Between November 2023 and February 2026, the Argentine Government eliminated 66,402 jobs, representing a 19.3 per cent fall in national public employment. However, the heaviest impact has been in labour and social areas. The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, now downgraded to a Secretariat within the Ministry of Human Capital, has lost 47 per cent of its previous staff. This massive reduction directly affects the State’s capacity to formulate, coordinate and implement labour policies, in violation of Articles 4, 7 and 10 of Convention No. 150.

The Committee of Experts has noted this institutional downgrading and warns that the ministerial reorganization, reduction in staff and paralysis of tripartite bodies has weakened labour administration. It adds that there have been 50,000 dismissals in the public administration, affecting essential areas of labour protection.

The dismantling at the provincial level is equally critical. The 43 provincial agencies (the federal pillar of labour policy) were on the verge of closure, which would have entailed the immediate dismissal of no fewer than 1,600 workers and the disappearance of a State presence in vast areas of the country. This is leading to a progressive functional vacuum, as a result of budgetary cuts and the elimination of programmes.

These violations are not isolated events. They are part of a wider context of a regression of labour rights in Argentina, at both the collective and individual levels. The reduction of State labour inspection and administration capacities coincides with the adoption of legislative reforms that are weakening mechanisms to protect the working class, restricting union activities and undermining the effective exercise of the fundamental rights recognized by the ILO.

We call on this Committee to urge the Government of Argentina to adopt urgent measures to reverse this situation, restore labour administration capacities and guarantee full respect for the individual and collective labour rights of Argentine workers.

Government member, Chile – My delegation welcomes the information provided by the Government and the considerations shared as part of the examination of this case. The indicators presented by the delegation of Argentina show positive development between 2025 and 2026, which demonstrates the impact of the measures adopted and which is, in our view, a positive sign that the Committee should take into consideration.

We hope that the Committee appreciates the efforts that are being made in a context that requires multiple priorities to be addressed simultaneously, such as strengthening inspection and promoting decent work in the agricultural sector, where there are specific challenges in terms of labour protection. Labour inspection management in federal contexts provides challenges that require solutions tailored to each national situation. In this regard, we welcome the Government’s reply, which indicates the number of inspectors in the various services and existing inspection systems. We also welcome the progress achieved in terms of the regularization of employment and the action to protect workers in the most vulnerable sectors. Finally, we appreciate the collaboration between the Government and the ILO. We therefore trust that this dialogue and the participation of the social partners will contribute to further sustained progress in the application of the ratified Conventions in accordance with the national context.

Employer member, Honduras – We would like to address two specific concerns raised by the Committee of Experts: the effectiveness of the system of penalties and the challenge of unregistered work in the agricultural sector. Both issues are of special importance for employers, because a credible system of penalties and a formal agricultural sector are necessary conditions for fair competition between enterprises.

The repeal of certain provisions of Act No. 27.742 was noted by the Committee of Experts. The Government has explained that these provisions created a double penalty, as violations were penalized twice for the same act.

The general system of penalties set out by Act No. 25.212 (the REGESIL) continues to be fully in force, with fines that vary between 25 per cent up to 5000 per cent of the minimum wage, based on the gravity of the violation.

The Employers’ group understands the importance of updating the legislation to prevent distortions which, as we have heard in the room, resulted in the excessive litigation of disputes in the world of work. We understand that it would be important to carry out an overall evaluation, so that information is available on the implementation of the provisions that are in force, with investigations and penalties applied at the various administrative levels. We therefore encourage the Government to provide updated statistics on: the frequency with which penalties are imposed for unregistered work at the national and provincial levels; the average amounts of the fines that are collected in practice; the number of employers contained in the register of offenders and the practical consequences of inclusion in the register. Without this information, the Committee cannot assess whether the system is adequate. And without such an evaluation, there is no solid basis for its conclusions.

At the same time, we note that inspection in agriculture appears to be faced with specific structural challenges resulting from the geographical dispersion, the seasonal nature of the work and the presence of migrant workers. The response cannot merely be more inspectors: it also requires specialization, technology and effective coordination with the RENATRE, which is a bipartite institution, and the provinces. We urge the Government to strengthen the specialized training provided to agricultural inspectors and to provide information on the criteria for the planning of rural inspections, especially in remote areas.

Worker member, France – I am speaking here on behalf of the workers of France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Convention No. 150 requires a labour administration system that is effective, provided with the necessary resources, personnel, technical capacities and presence throughout the territory to develop and implement labour policies. However, the Committee of Experts has noted with concern the downgrading of the Ministry of Labour to a State Secretariat, the massive reduction in personnel, the loss of institutional capacity and the weaking of coordination mechanisms for labour policy.

Convention No. 150 requires Member States to ensure consultation, cooperation and negotiation between the public authorities and the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations. In this regard, in its 2024 General Survey, the Committee of Experts emphasized the importance of consulting the social partners in the preparation and implementation of labour laws and decrees.

Rather than strengthening social dialogue, the Government of Argentina has acted through unilateral decisions, decrees and measures adopted without appropriate tripartite consultation. The most emblematic case is Emergency Decree No. 70/2023, which was the first labour reform promoted by the current Government. This Emergency Decree modifies fundamental aspects of individual and collective labour law, without the prior participation of the social partners. And that is compounded by the persistent policy of restricting collective action.

Repeated recourse to emergency measures, the dismantling of public institutions, budgetary cuts in areas related to labour and the paralysis of institutional participatory mechanisms demonstrate the existence of a policy that sidelines social dialogue and focuses decision-making in the executive authorities. A significant example is the de facto sidelining of the National Council on Employment, Productivity and the Minimum Living Mobile Wage. The National Council is a high-level tripartite body which historically covered labour administration under the authority of the former Ministry of Labour. In practice, decisions on the minimum wage have been adopted unilaterally by the State, with increases below the inflation rate, leading to the sustained loss of purchasing power.

When labour policies are adopted without consultation, when the institutions responsible for their administration are weakened and when the capacity of the State to guarantee rights is reduced, the principles underlying Convention No. 150 are directly challenged. That is why we are calling for the Government to be invited to re-establish genuine social dialogue, strengthen labour institutions, relaunch tripartite consultation and participation mechanisms and ensure full respect for ILO Convention No. 150.

Government member, Islamic Republic of Iran – The Islamic Republic of Iran wishes to express its appreciation for the rigorous work of the Committee of Experts, whose findings in Report III(A) of 2026 form the exclusive basis of this statement. We wish to place on record our deep concern regarding Argentina’s compliance with its obligations under the ratified Conventions on labour inspection, labour inspection in agriculture and labour administration.

First, on child labour in agriculture, the Committee of Experts has documented the persistent presence of child labour in the yerba mate and tobacco sectors. Children, many below the minimum working age, are exposed to toxic chemicals, excessive working hours and harsh conditions with serious consequences for their health and education. This is not an isolated finding. It reflects a structural failure that demands urgent action.

Second, on labour exploitation and trafficking, the Committee of Experts has explicitly noted that migrants in the agricultural sector face extreme vulnerability, exploitation and, in certain regions, entrenched patterns of trafficking. These are not marginal concerns. They go to the heart of Argentina’s obligations under the ratified Conventions.

Third, and most troubling, is the deliberate dismantling of enforcement mechanisms. At the very moment when unregistered rural work remains at alarming levels, the Government has repealed financial penalties for employers who fail to register workers. The Committee of Experts itself has assessed that this weakens the labour inspectorate and institution whose strength is essential to the protection of the most vulnerable workers.

Taken together, these findings point to a pattern of regression, not progress, a retreat from the institutional safeguards that give meaning to international labour standards. In light of these concerns, we call upon this Committee to request the Government of Argentina to provide without further delay a comprehensive and verifiable plan of action to eradicate child labour in agriculture, combat trafficking and labour exploitation, restore the financial penalty framework for unregistered employment and demonstrate in measurable and time-bound terms its continued commitment to its international obligations. The credibility of this Committee rests on its willingness to hold governments accountable. We urge the Committee to act accordingly.

Worker member, Canada – I am speaking on behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress. The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organizations of the United States aligns itself with this statement. We appear before this Committee to address serious breaches of Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150 on labour inspection in the Argentine Republic. The current deterioration is not isolated, but is a structural process that undermines the State’s ability to guarantee basic labour rights.

The report of the Committee of Experts is unequivocal. The number of labour inspectors fell from 385 in 2023 to 308 in 2025, 52 of whom lack job security, in direct contravention of Article 6 of Convention No. 81, which requires functional independence and protection from external pressures. This precarious situation is unfolding against a backdrop of job losses in the public sector, which further weakens the State structure responsible for monitoring compliance with labour law. The reduction in staff is coupled with an unprecedented, severe budget cut at the Ministry of Labour which directly impacts the system’s operational capacity. For instance, travel allowances, transport, vehicles and essential resources for inspection have been virtually eliminated, undermining compliance with Article 10 of Convention No. 81, which requires that inspectors be provided with the necessary means to carry out their duties.

The result is evident in the decline in inspection activity. In critical sectors such as agriculture, in 2023, just 59 inspections were carried out for a total of 9,938 establishments. That is less than 1 per cent. The Committee of Experts warns that this shortfall is exacerbated by a lack of coordination between the federal and provincial levels and by the absence of effective central control in violation of Articles 4 and 16 of Convention No. 81. Added to this is a regulatory change that completely undermines the inspection function provided for in Convention No. 81.

The Government has replaced the long-standing framework of the National Labour Regularization Plan which, since 2003, had granted inspectors the powers of a public authority to enter establishments, issue notices, impose sanctions and even close them down in the event of serious infringements, with the so-called Programme for the Promotion of Employment and Good Practices. This new regime replaces effective enforcement with a system of up to four guidance and courtesy visits, in which the inspector no longer acts as a guarantor of compliance with the law, but promotes voluntary compliance, providing friendly guidance on the benefits of the labour reform before considering any sanctions. This shift eliminates the enforcement function required by Convention No. 81, weakens the State’s deterrent capacity and consolidates a framework of structural amnesty for those who breach labour regulations. We request the Committee to urge the Government to rebuild the inspection workforce, restore operational resources and ensure that Convention No. 81 is fully implemented throughout the country.

Government member, Paraguay – My delegation thanks the Republic of Argentina for the information provided and the clarifications made during this discussion. We note the measures indicated in the field of labour administration, and the action intended to strengthen coordination between the institutions responsible for labour inspection. We note the initiatives taken to improve the detection of situations of labour informality, the protection measures for workers and the action taken in rural areas through cooperation between the competent bodies. We also note the Government’s decision to continue assessing the operation of the labour inspection system and to maintain cooperation with the ILO for the analysis and strengthening of its institutional capacities. Paraguay is also facing this challenge and is prepared to exchange experience and good practices in this area. We note that the actions taken are being adopted in a context of the recovery of economic activity and the implementation of policies related to formal employment. My delegation encourages the Republic of Argentina to continue implementing these initiatives and emphasizes the importance of technical cooperation and dialogue in the strengthening of labour institutions.

Government member, Panama – The delegation of the Republic of Panama thanks the Republic of Argentina for the information provided and in this context wishes to indicate the following:

First, we value the commitment expressed by the Government to continue cooperating with the ILO and to have recourse to technical assistance for the continued strengthening of its labour institutions and labour law enforcement mechanisms. We also note the initiatives taken to promote the formalization of employment and improve the functioning of the labour market, on the basis that the reduction of informality is one of the principal challenges to ensuring effective protection for workers. We also note with interest the measures taken to strengthen labour inspection and the action taken in the agricultural sector in coordination with the competent specialized bodies, with a view to preventing situations of undeclared work and other violations of labour rights. My delegation also notes that these measures are being taken in a context of economic growth, the promotion of investment and the creation of new opportunities for formal employment.

Finally, we note the explanations provided on the operation of the system of labour inspection in Argentina and the coordination mechanisms that exist between the various jurisdictions and bodies involved, and we encourage the continuation of efforts to strengthen institutional cooperation and the effectiveness of the inspection system. We urge Argentina to maintain constructive dialogue with the social partners, the ILO and other relevant actors with a view to the continued strengthening of its labour institutions and making progress towards the objectives pursued by the Conventions under examination.

Government member, Peru – Peru welcomes the information provided by the distinguished delegation of the Republic of Argentina on the application of Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150. We note the information provided by the Government of Argentina on the measures adopted to strengthen the functioning of its labour inspection system and the existing coordination mechanisms between the national and provincial authorities within the framework of the federal structure. We also note the continued actions carried out under the National Plan for the Regularization of Labour (PNRT) and the inspection activities conducted during the period under review with the aim of promoting compliance with labour legislation. We welcome the information on cooperation with the RENATRE, focused on addressing the challenges related to unregistered work, the prevention of child labour and the protection of workers in rural areas. We also note the commitment of the Government of Argentina to further collaborating with the ILO and availing itself of the technical assistance of the Office in order to continue strengthening the capacities of the labour inspection system. Peru considers that exchanges of experience, technical cooperation and institutional strengthening are key to promoting the effective application of international labour standards, and encourages the continuation of the efforts made in this regard.

Observer, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – As has been indicated, what is being discussed is more than a technical or administrative issue. The downgrading of the Ministry of Labour to a Secretariat has already been mentioned, which is particularly serious in the light of Articles 1 and 4 of Convention No. 150.

In addition to this, legislative measures are being adopted without adequate tripartite consultation and dialogue to introduce far-reaching labour reforms, in a clear departure from the principles of this Convention. The Committee of Experts has repeatedly maintained that high-impact labour reforms must be developed through genuine processes, in consultation with representative employers’ and workers’ organizations.

And yet, there is no such thing in Argentina. As noted, two days ago, a decree was issued under an act which exceeds the terms of the Act, without any consultation whatsoever of employers and workers. The trade union movement has indicated that the initiatives driven by the Government have not involved appropriate social dialogue, as required by Articles 3 and 5 of Convention No. 150. We note that these measures establish legislative restrictions on the exercise of freedom of association and collective bargaining, in many cases treating collective action as a security issue and, furthermore, imposing confiscatory fines. I will not refer to the General Survey given the limited time that we have been allocated, but we know that the main role of the labour administration is to promote social peace and sound industrial relations, and that this function must be carried out in accordance with the principles of freedom of association and collective bargaining.

In view of the direction in which our country is heading, promoting the extension, by gradual stages, of the functions of the system of labour administration in accordance with Article 7, involves the coverage of workers with non-standard work arrangements. This is a matter of concern in the light of Convention No. 150, which conceives of labour administration as an active system for the protection and effective application of labour rights. There is a lack of social dialogue, a lack of consultation with employers and workers, and a lack of cooperation. Furthermore, while it is true that there is a body called the Federal Labour Council, it is instructive for the Committee to know that, between 2000 and 2023, the Council held 124 plenary sessions, and that since December 2023, over a period of 30 months, it has only met twice.

According to an ITUC global report on compliance with rights, Argentina is one of the ten countries with the worst ranking for violations of human and trade union rights. It is important to make this point here because we are talking about labour administration and the protection of workers.

We reiterate that Argentina is experiencing, on the one hand, a process of “delabourization” with the loss of protection for workers and, on the other hand, a process of the dismantlement and breaking up of the State. We could call it a perfect storm because even the rights that remain are not guaranteed due to the inaction of the State.

Reference has been made here to a crisis. But the crisis cannot be resolved by destroying the social justice that has always been a source of pride for Argentina. We therefore reaffirm that the observations of the Committee of Experts and of the trade unions of Argentina, supported by the Trade Union Federation of the Americas (CSA) and the ITUC, point to serious failures of compliance with the principles and requirements of Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150, and the Committee must therefore take due note of the gravity of the situation.

Observer, Education International (EI) – At the outset, I would like to align myself with every word, letter and full stop of the intervention by the joint secretary-general of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT). I am speaking on behalf of the workers of Argentina, members of the CTA, the CSA and the ITUC, and also on behalf of Education International, to express our deep concern at Argentina’s non-compliance with its commitments under Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150.

Our concern is even greater because these issues have already been raised in this forum. Two years ago, during the discussion of the General Survey of the Committee of Experts on systems of labour administration and the application of Convention No. 150 and Recommendation No. 158, the trade union confederations of Argentina denounced the beginning of a process of institutional dismantling, reflected in the reduction of public programmes, the weakening of employment policies, the downgrading of the Ministry of Labour to a Secretariat and mass dismissals in the national public administration.

In this regard, and in line with the report of the Committee of Experts on non-compliance with Articles 1(b), 4, 7 and 10 of Convention No. 150, we have to report that the process of reducing public employment has been continued through dismissals of permanent staff, the non-renewal of employment relationships and voluntary retirement programmes impacting different areas of the national administration, all without effective consultation with the representative trade unions.

These measures not only affected the working conditions of thousands of State employees, but also weakened institutional capacities, technical expertise and the State’s presence throughout the country. Staff reductions in strategic agencies have undermined labour administration, the implementation of public policies and the effective access of the working population to rights recognized by the national legislation and international Conventions.

The crisis in social dialogue is another manifestation of non-compliance with Article 5 of Convention No. 150, as noted in the report of the Committee of Experts. In this regard, trade unions had to formally request the Government to convene the National Council on Employment, Productivity and the Minimum Living and Adjustable Wage, denouncing the failure to comply with the schedule of meetings set out in its own rules. The ongoing unilateral fixing of insufficient wage increases by the Government and the absence of periodic reviews constitute a serious infringement of the principles of consultation, participation and social dialogue enshrined in the Convention.

With respect to the comments by the Committee of Experts concerning non-compliance with Conventions Nos 81 and 129, it should be highlighted that this has occurred within the context of a labour reform that has not respected social dialogue or, worse still, its regulation; and which has undermined historic protection mechanisms, promoting deregulation processes that are not consistent with effective labour inspection, eliminating systems that penalize unregistered work and prioritizing voluntary regularization over State control.

All this is taking place in the context of the closure of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises; mass dismissals in the private and public sectors; a marked fall in the purchasing power of workers and retirees; cuts to funding for public education, universities, science, technology and health care; attacks on trade unions, with the imposition of extremely heavy fines when a union calls a strike, as in the cases of the Association of Aeronautical Personnel (APA), the Tram Drivers’ Union (UTA), the La Fraternidad trade union and some teachers’ trade unions belonging to the Confederation of Education Workers of Argentina (CETERA); interference in unions, as in the case of the Metalworkers’ Union (UOM); the persecution of union leaders; and the repression of social protest, which almost claimed the life of a photojournalist.

The results of all this are documented in the ITUC’s recent Global Rights Index, in which Argentina has been ranked as one of the worst ten countries for workers’ rights.

Therefore, given the severity of the situation, we call on the Committee to firmly urge the Government of Argentina to adopt urgent measures to strengthen labour inspection and administration, restore social dialogue and ensure compliance with the obligations assumed under Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150.

Social justice is not an aberration, as the President of Argentina maintains, but a necessary condition to guarantee peace and general well-being. The trade union confederations will defend this in the ILO and in the streets, by striking and by fighting together with the whole of the working class.

Observer, Building and Woodworkers’ International (BWI) – The BWI represents workers in construction, building materials, wood forestry and related sectors across the world, and our intervention focuses on the importance of effective labour inspection, labour administration and social dialogue for workers in sectors categorized by high levels of informality and occupational risk.

We note with concern the observation of the Committee of Experts regarding the functioning of the labour inspection system, including concerns at the number of inspectors, resource constraints and difficulties affecting inspection activities at both the federal and provincial levels. We also note the concerns raised regarding coordination within the inspection system and the need to ensure effective supervision under a central authority. Labour inspection is one of the most important tools for ensuring that labour legislation is respected in practice. In sectors such as construction, inspectors play a vital role in identifying unregistered work, protecting vulnerable workers and preventing accidents and protecting workers’ lives.

We therefore share the Committee of Experts’ concerns regarding the capacity of the inspection services and the resources available to carry out their mandate effectively. A strong labour inspectorate requires adequate staffing, operational resources and the ability to reach workplaces throughout the country, including remote areas. The BWI is also concerned at the persistence of unregistered work. In construction and related sectors, informality is often associated with poor working conditions, lack of social protection and increased occupational health and safety risks. Effective labour inspection is essential to address these challenges and ensure a level playing field for workers and employers alike.

We further note the concerns raised regarding labour administration and the functioning of tripartite dialogue mechanisms. For workers in our sectors, social dialogue is essential for improving working conditions, strengthening workplace safety and addressing labour market challenges. Effective consultation and cooperation between governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations remain fundamental components of a well-functioning labour administration system. The BWI therefore supports the Committee of Experts’ request for the Government to strengthen labour inspection capacity, ensure effective labour administration and maintain meaningful consultation and cooperation with the social partners in order to combat informality, improve occupational safety and health and ensure decent work for all workers.

Observer, IndustriALL Global Union – IndustriALL Global Union has 550 member organizations and represents over 50 million workers in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors throughout the world. The dismantling and reduction of State financing by the Government of Argentina is harming workers in all sectors. It is causing a reduction in quality and rigour in all types of work, affecting health and safety and resulting in more precarious conditions, including in formal work. This approach can be considered a violation of Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150, which relate principally to the system of supervision, administration and enforcement of labour legislation.

IndustriALL also wishes to express its deep concern and total rebuttal of the decision by the National Labour Appeal Chamber of the Republic of Argentina. Court VIII of the Chamber applied a 180-day judicial intervention to the Metalworkers’ Federation of the Republic of Argentina (UOMRA), one of the principal industrial unions in the country and a long-standing member of our global trade union federation.

In so doing, it invalidated the national elections in which the current general secretary was re-elected. It subsequently destituted the elected general secretary and officers and declared the organization to be without leadership, which means that metalworkers are still awaiting the wage adjustments achieved through joint collective bargaining, because no one in the national secretariat is empowered to conclude joint agreements.

IndustriALL considers that the judicial decision amounts to serious interference in trade union independence and is a dangerous precedent for freedom of association and democracy in Argentina. The destitution of democratically elected authorities and the interference in the internal affairs of a trade union are in violation of the principles established by Convention No. 87 and offer a clear indication that in Argentina there is no adequate labour administration, in accordance with Convention No. 150.

This situation has occurred in a context of the increasing deterioration of the living conditions of workers in Argentina, characterized by the loss of purchasing power, the implementation of regressive labour reforms and the weakening of collective bargaining and social dialogue mechanisms.

IndustriALL notes with concern the use of judicial mechanisms to remove legitimately elected trade union leaders, as a means of discipline against organizations that defend wages, collective bargaining, national industry and labour rights.

We therefore urge the authorities of Argentina to guarantee full respect for trade union freedom and independence, the normal democratic functioning of workers’ organizations and compliance with the international Conventions ratified by the State of Argentina.

Government representative – The nation is undergoing a process of reform. The Government is committed to analysing its consequences and requesting the technical assistance of the Office to evaluate the operation of the labour inspection system at the federal and provincial levels, as well as labour administration. Moreover, even though the Government of Argentina is committed to keeping the Committee of Experts informed on the matters raised in its report, it should be emphasized that the comments made do not amount to serious failings of compliance. For the reasons indicated, it is respectfully requested to have recourse to other measures to resolve the matters raised. I also wish to add that those points on which no information has been provided here will absolutely be covered by the next report.

I wish to thank the representatives of Honduras, Costa Rica, Chile, Paraguay, Panama and Peru for their assessments, knowledge and understanding of the situation related to Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150. However, we regret that many interventions strayed from the main focus of the discussions and introduced political elements, which make it necessary to note certain concepts.

I have listened attentively and respectfully to the criticisms raised on issues that, as noted above, have strayed from the central issues in this discussion. Nevertheless, I have listened to them with great attention because, in a democracy, criticism is legitimate and in these bodies where governments, employers and workers are represented it is also legitimate to respond with facts, which are extraordinary in that they are immune to ideology and do not take into account prejudices or false claims. Facts are stubborn and obstinate and merely correspond to reality. We have listened carefully to the claim that the Government has legalized instability: allow me to recall that, when the Government took office in December 2023, Argentina was in a deep crisis: the consolidated deficit of the treasury and the Central Bank was over 15 per cent of GDP, destitution was growing and 41.7 per cent of the population were affected by poverty. Inflation was one of the highest rates in the world and was rising by around 1 per cent a day. Perhaps this framework and this situation may be considered by some as legally stable at that time. Argentina had a Ministry of Labour, not a Secretariat of Labour. With reference to the opinions expressed concerning the intervention relating to the Metalworkers’ Federation, it should be noted that that intervention was made by the Argentine courts and, in accordance with the unequivocal words of Montesquieu, there is a clear division of power in Argentina. Some of those in the room were predicting the collapse of Argentina. Nevertheless, there have been no national strikes under the current Government, when in comparison, in two-and-a-half years, there were a record four such strikes under the previous Government. It is nevertheless important to recall that in 2023 the people of Argentina, weary of such lack of wisdom and incompetence by a desolate Government, decided to change direction, and since then the results have begun to be seen: the economy of Argentina grew by 4.4 per cent in 2025 and the International Monetary Fund predicts additional growth of 3.5 per cent in 2026, which is much higher than the regional average, estimated at 2.3 per cent. Inflation has fallen to an inter-annual variation of 32.4 per cent, with a monthly rate of only 2.6 per cent in April for the first time since 2010. Argentina achieved a financial surplus in 2025, equivalent to 0.3 per cent of GDP, and in the first quarter of 2026 had a financial surplus and a primary surplus. While some predicted financial isolation, exports have grown by over 33 per cent a year and the country is approaching a historical record of nearly 100 billion dollars. Even though people were talking about a supposed avalanche of imports, in over a year imports fell by 4 per cent. And while questions were being raised about the capacity to attract foreign currency, Argentina achieved a trade surplus of over 11 billion dollars and its international reserves reached their highest level since 2019. A nation is not a set of calculations, a nation is its people, and we therefore need to look at what has happened at the individual level. Several million citizens of Argentina have emerged from poverty, and the index fell from its maximum of 52.9 per cent in the first half of 2024 to 28.2 per cent in the second half of 2025. The universal child allowance, the social subsidy provided by the Government, increased by over 500 per cent in relation to December 2023 and recuperated over 100 per cent of its real purchasing power. The food benefit, for which the social subsidy was increased by 137 per cent, extended its coverage to over 600,000 young persons and, while some claim that the reforms were destroying employment, the unemployment rate was 7.5 per cent, once of the lowest levels in recent decades, with the current labour market participation rate considered to be high. Around 40 per cent of workers in Argentina continue to be affected by labour informality and, precisely for this reason, the National Congress adopted a new Labour Act designed to promote formalization, provide incentives for recruitment and adapt the legislation to the new production and technological situation. However, none of this means that there are no more problems or that the Government is infallible, and that there are no mistakes to be corrected. But its meaning is much more simple and much more weighty: that the citizens of Argentina decided democratically to take the opportunity of change and did so using the most powerful tool of democracy, their votes.

It has been said that the Government is authoritarian. With over 40 per cent support at the national level, in October 2025, the people of Argentina approved of the course set by the Government and considerably strengthened the parliamentary representation of the governing party, thereby supporting the reforms discussed and approved by the National Congress. Even so, it does not have a majority in either of the two chambers. It is important to recall that this was the context in which the new Labour Act was approved even though, both in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, the Government was in a clear minority. This leads to a reflection: it was under the guidance of the Government, and with the final decision of a people that, with better vision than its own leaders, chose the best path to ensure a future of growth and stability. The changes met with resistance, but the vision of the people involved a growing collective awareness that if we always do the same, we will have the same miserable results. This shows, as taught by history, that nations do not fail when they confront difficulties, but when they lose the will to overcome them. Argentina has found this will once again, and it has done so by dissipating the dark and artificial clouds planted by the meteorologists of chaos who appeared to enjoy making false forecasts of disaster.

Worker members – At the outset, I would like to thank the Government of Argentina for its participation in this discussion and for the information provided to the Committee. We also thank the Committee of Experts for its examination of the application of Convention No. 150. We thank all those who contributed to the debate.

The discussion we are having today has confirmed that the concerns raised by the Committee of Experts are neither isolated nor theoretical. Rather, they point to a continued deterioration in the functioning of the labour administration system in Argentina and serious shortcomings in the application of Convention No. 150 in both law and practice. Throughout this discussion, the Government has sought to present the reforms undertaken as necessary administrative adjustments designed to improve efficiency and modernize public administration. However, the evidence before this Committee paints a very different picture. Convention No. 150 is founded in the understanding that labour administration is not a peripheral state function. It is a cornerstone of social justice, social dialogue and sound labour relations.

As the Committee of Experts has repeatedly recalled, labour administration systems are essential for the development, implementation and monitoring of labour policy and for ensuring that workers and employers alike can benefit from effective labour market governance. We remain deeply concerned at the downgrading of the Ministry of Labour to a Secretariat, a measure that has diminished the visibility, authority and institutional standing of the labour administration system. Equally troubling are the significant reductions in staffing levels and the loss of technical expertise within the labour administration system. Convention No. 150 requires not merely the existence of administrative structures, but their effective functioning. Such effectiveness cannot be achieved when experienced personnel are dismissed, specialized capacities are weakened and public officials are deprived of the security necessary to carry out their functions independently and professionally. In this regard, we remain particularly concerned by the reforms affecting public sector employment and the provisions allowing dismissals based on so-called optimal staffing levels. Such measures appear fundamentally incompatible with Article 10 of Convention No. 150, which seeks to ensure that staff members enjoy a status and conditions of service that safeguard them from improper external influence, especially labour administrators, including labour inspectors. As the Committee of Experts has observed, the number of labour inspectors remains wholly inadequate in relation to the size of the workforce and the territory to be covered. The shortage of inspectors coupled with insufficient resources, transport and operational support significantly limits the capacity of the inspection system to perform its essential functions. Effective labour administration cannot exist where labour inspection lacks the resources necessary to enforce labour legislation and protect workers’ rights.

Perhaps one of the most concerning themes emerging from this discussion is a deterioration of social dialogue. Convention No. 150 places consultation, cooperation and negotiation with the most representative organizations of workers and employers at the very heart of labour administration. The Workers’ group wishes to emphasize that the concerns raised under Convention No. 150 cannot be viewed in isolation. As several speakers have noted, they form part of a broader pattern affecting the labour governance framework as a whole. The issues before us intersect directly with concerns previously raised under the labour inspection Conventions, as well as with the broader questions regarding freedom of association, collective bargaining and social dialogue.

Taken together, they suggest a sustained weakening of institutions designed to protect workers’ rights and promote decent work.

The purpose of this Committee is not merely to identify shortcomings, but to assist Member States in achieving compliance with their international obligations. The Workers’ group therefore believes that this case requires strong and concrete conclusions.

We call upon the Government of Argentina to take immediate and effective measures to ensure the full application of Convention No. 150. In particular, we urge the Government to: restore and strengthen the institutional capacity, authority and resources of the labour administration system, in accordance with Articles 4 and 10 of the Convention; ensure that labour administration personnel enjoy the security of tenure, independence and professional guarantees necessary for the proper discharge of their functions; significantly increase the human, financial and operational resources available to labour inspection services, so as to guarantee effective enforcement of labour legislation throughout the national territory; ensure that workers in non-standard forms of employment, including platform workers, benefit from adequate protection and are effectively covered by labour administration services; re-establish and strengthen genuine, tripartite social dialogue mechanisms at the national, regional and sectoral levels and ensure that all labour reforms are developed through meaningful consultation with the most representative organizations of workers and employers; carry out, in consultation with the most representative workers’ and employers’ organizations, a comprehensive evaluation of the functioning and capacity of the labour inspection system throughout the national territory, including updated information on the number of labour inspectors, their territorial distribution, the human, technical and financial resources available and the measures taken to ensure effective compliance with labour legislation and ratified Conventions; accept a direct contacts mission of the ILO with the aim of assessing the situation and providing the needed technical assistance to strengthen coordination between the national and provincial authorities responsible for labour administration and inspection, taking into account the constitutional distribution of competences between the national State and the provinces; and, in that regard, convene a process of tripartite and federal social dialogue with the participation of the national and provincial authorities, the most representative organizations of workers and employers and the support of the ILO with the aim of identifying obstacles that affect the effective application of labour legislation, agreeing on correct measures and strengthening the implementation and compliance with ratified Conventions throughout the national territory; and report to the Committee of Experts, by 1 September 2026, on the progress made in the implementation of these measures and on the results of these processes of dialogue and institutional coordination.

Employer members – In the first place, I would like to give thanks to the Government representative of Argentina for the explanations and comments made today, as well as to all those who contributed to the discussion of the case of the Republic of Argentina. It should be noted that, although we have listened carefully and seriously to all the statements made in the room, we do not agree with most of them and we will confine the conclusions of the case to matters covered by Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150.

On this basis, we will begin by reaffirming that, in the view of the Employer members, the existence of different administrative levels is not in itself incompatible with the Conventions. However, we will encourage the Government to strengthen existing coordination mechanisms, particularly for the compilation of statistics, the exchange of information and the joint planning of inspection activities.

With regard to material, financial and human resources for inspection and annual reports, we consider it particularly important for the Government to provide objective information on the real impact of the measures adopted on inspection activities and on the measures adopted to improve the efficient allocation of resources, as well as the application of new technologies in inspection services, in accordance with Articles 20 and 21 of Convention No. 81.

In relation to the measures adopted to ensure the application of penalties for unregistered work, in the view of the Employer members, they are fully in line with Article 18 of Convention No. 81 and we consider them to be adequate, now that the dual penalty that existed previously has been removed.

With reference to labour inspection in agriculture, the Employer members fully endorse the importance of ensuring effective supervision in the agricultural sector, taking into account the specific characteristics of the sector, the geographical dispersion of workplaces and the serious nature of certain violations that may occur in rural areas.

We therefore call on the Government to continue strengthening the coverage and effectiveness of the activities carried out in the agricultural sector, particularly in remote rural areas, and to provide additional information on the measures adopted to strengthen the specialized technical capacities of inspectors and improve coordination between the various competent institutions.

Turning to the functioning of the labour administration system, the Employer members recall that Convention No. 150 does not set out a specific administrative structure or impose a determined institutional model. It is therefore for each Member State to determine the organization of its public administration, in accordance with national needs and priorities. In any event, irrespective of the structure adopted, we agree that Articles 4 and 10 of the Convention set out the requirement for the system of labour administration to operate effectively and to be provided with adequate resources for the performance of its functions.

On the subject of consultation and social dialogue, we encourage the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure consultation, cooperation and negotiation between the public authorities and the most representative organizations of employers and workers, with the maintenance of existing dialogue mechanisms and the strengthening of the social partners so that these social dialogue mechanisms can prosper. The Employer members understand that this case raises real institutional challenges relating to resources, coordination and administrative capacity.

Nevertheless, the matters raised appear to mainly reflect operational and institutional difficulties in a broader context of administrative and fiscal reform, rather than a deliberate refusal to give effect to Conventions Nos 81, 129 and 150 or a situation of serious or systematic failure of compliance.

We therefore encourage the Government to continue collaborating closely with the Office, to benefit, where necessary, from technical assistance and to provide additional information, including the annual reports required by Convention No. 81, which allow a precise assessment of the overall effectiveness of the system of labour inspection and administration.

The Employers support a labour inspection system in Argentina that is efficient, predictable and technically competent. A weak inspection system is not only prejudicial to workers, but also gives rise to unfair competition by the failure to ensure uniform compliance with labour requirements by all enterprises. We also understand that social dialogue is essential for an effective labour administration.

Emphasis should be placed on the key role played by tripartite institutions and the importance of the effective participation of employers and workers in labour policies, in accordance with Convention No. 150. We therefore urge the Government to take measures to guarantee consultation, cooperation and negotiation, by maintaining existing social dialogue mechanisms with the most representative organizations of employers and workers. The strengthening of labour institutions, the improvement of federal and provincial coordination, and the development of effective inspection systems are objectives that are shared by Governments, workers and employers.

Chairperson – This concludes the discussion of this case. I thank the Government representative of Argentina for participating in the discussion and all the speakers who took the floor.

Conclusions of the Committee

The Committee took note of the written and oral information provided by the Government and of the discussion that followed. It also took note of the observations of the Committee of Experts concerning reductions in the human, operational, and financial resources available to the labour administration and labour inspection services.

Taking into account the discussion, the Committee urged the Government to take immediate, effective and time-bound measures to:

ensure the proper functioning of adequate and effective tripartite social dialogue mechanisms at national, regional and sectoral levels and ensure that labour reforms are developed through meaningful consultation with the most representative organizations of workers and employers;
carry out, in consultation with the most representative workers’ and employers’ organizations, a comprehensive evaluation of the functioning and capacity of the labour inspection system throughout the national territory, including updated information on the number of labour inspectors, their territorial distribution, the human, technical and financial resources available, and the measures taken to ensure effective compliance with labour legislation, and ratified Conventions; and
strengthen coordination between the national and provincial authorities responsible for labour administration and inspection.

Taking into account the issues raised, the Committee recommended the Government to avail itself to the ILO technical assistance if needed.

The Committee requested the Government to report to the Committee of Experts by 1 September 2026 on the measures taken to implement the above recommendations and the results achieved.

Government representative – We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Committee and the ILO for the consideration given to the arguments presented by Argentina in the Conference Committee, and to emphasize how highly we value this opportunity for dialogue. It is important for us to highlight that the country is currently undergoing a period of growth and of laying the foundations for the future. In this regard, we are confident that any challenges or shortcomings identified in previous requests will be addressed. We therefore reaffirm our firm and unequivocal commitment to cooperate in every way necessary to advance this work.

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

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of ratified Conventions on labour inspection and labour administration, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Conventions Nos 81 (labour inspection), 129 (labour inspection in agriculture) and 150 (labour administration) in a single comment.

The Committee notes the observations of the General Confederation of Labour of the Argentine Republic (CGT RA), received on 29 August 2025, the joint observations of the Association of State Workers (ATE) and the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Public Sector Workers (CLATE) on Convention No. 81, received on 31 August 2025, and the observations of the Confederation of Workers of Argentina (CTA Autonomous) on Convention No. 150, received in 2023 and on 1 September 2025.

Labour inspection

Articles 4, 10, 11, 16 and 24 of Convention No. 81 and Articles 7(1), 14, 15 and 21 of Convention No. 129. Supervisory function of labour inspectors, frequency and scope of inspections. Supervision and control of the labour inspection services by a central authority. Number of inspection staff. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report on the inspection activities carried out between 2022 and June 2025 in the context of the “National Plan for the regularization of labour (PNRT)” and under the full jurisdiction of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (Ministry of Labour), and also with respect to unregistered work. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that the Ministry of Labour has a total of 308 inspectors at the national level. The Committee observes that in 2023, the Labour Inspectorate had 385 inspectors and 312 inspection auxiliaries.

In this regard, the Committee notes that the CGT RA highlights the insufficient number of labour inspectors for industrial and commercial work, and asserts that things are getting worse in the provincial administrative departments. The CGT RA also indicates that the policy of expenditure cuts and austerity may be having an impact on the recognition of travel allowances, vehicle renovation and secondments, which are essential for the inspectorate to conduct operations in remote areas. The ATE and CLATE express concern at the drastic reduction in the number of inspectors, preventing their work from being effective; they assert that the policy for the registration of employment has deteriorated, and refer to the weakening of inspection services because of the delegation of activities in the provincial administrative departments, as well as the problems of obtaining statistics. The Committee also notes that the CTA Autonomous assert that the current distribution of competencies in the area of labour inspection between the federal Government and the provinces, and also the small numbers of inspection officials, have resulted in inefficiency in the labour inspection system, with a direct impact on the high rate of unregistered work. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect. The Committee also requests the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure that: (i) the number of labour inspectors is sufficient to ensure the effective performance of inspection duties; (ii) labour inspection is under the supervision and control of a central authority in practice; and (iii) labour inspectors are equipped with the necessary transport facilities to perform their duties. While the Committee understands the delegation of duties to the provinces and the possible difficulties of collecting information, it also requests the Government to conduct an evaluation of the operation of the labour inspection system with a view to identifying shortcomings relating to coordination and the number of inspectors at the federal and provincial levels, and to provide information on the number of labour inspectionscarried out at the provincial level, the sectors covered and the penalties imposed.

Article 6 of Convention No. 81 and Article 8 of Convention No. 129. Stability of employment and conditions of service of labour inspectors. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Ministry of Labour has 308 inspectors at the national level, of whom 256 have tenure and 52 are employed on contracts. The Committee notes that the CGT RA maintains in its observations that although the Ministry of Labour complies with the terms of the Convention, the policy of expenditure cuts and austerity has resulted in dismissals in the public administration, endangering the independence of staff. The Committee expects that all necessary steps will be taken to ensure that the whole staff of the inspectorate is composed of public officials whose legal status and conditions of service guarantee stability in employment. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the number of inspectors having tenure and the number employed on contracts at both the federal and provincial levels.

Article 18 of Convention No. 81 and Article 24 of Convention No. 129. Adequate penalties. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that Bill No. 1381/18 concerning the regularization of unregistered workers has not been adopted. The Committee also notes that the CGT RA, ATE and CLATE assert that by Act No. 27.742 of 27 June 2024 on the basic criteria for the freedom of Argentine citizens, the Government repealed various regulations that established penalties for failure by employers to comply with their obligation to register workers. The CGT RA indicates in particular that the failure to impose fines in these cases signifies a weakening of the enforcement function of the Labour Inspectorate. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the steps taken to ensure that penalties for unregistered work are adequate and are applied effectively.

Articles 20 and 21 of Convention No. 81 and Articles 26 and 27 of Convention No. 129. Annual inspection report.The Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure that the central inspection authority publishes an annual general report on the work of the labour inspection services under its control (Article 20 of Convention No. 81 and Article 26 of Convention No. 129), covering each of the subjects indicated in Article 21 of Convention No. 81 and Article 27 of Convention No. 129.

Issues specifically related to labour inspection in agriculture – Convention No. 129

Articles 6(1), 7, 14 and 15 of Convention No. 129. Functions of labour inspection in agriculture. Number of inspectors. Central authority. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that it continues to work in coordination with the National Registry of Rural Workers and Employers (RENATRE) on the monitoring and registration of workers, within the framework of a cooperation agreement. In this regard, the Government indicates that, as a result of their joint activities, 268 establishments were inspected in 2022, 313 in 2023 and 134 in 2024, resulting in the imposition of 188, 238 and 93 penalties, respectively. In addition, six cases of child labour were detected in 2022, six in 2023 and two in 2024, as well as seven, 18 and four cases of labour involving young persons detected for the same years, respectively. The Committee also notes the information provided by RENATRE on the technological advances implemented in labour inspection in agriculture since 2024. The Committee also notes the indication by the CGT RA that the decentralization of the inspection system is causing regional disparities, since provinces with greater resources are more active in terms of inspections, while in remote rural areas inspection is almost non-existent. In particular, the CGT RA highlights the following problems: (i) an insufficient number of inspectors in agriculture, where the size of the territory and the dispersion of workers make effective coverage difficult; (ii) unregistered work, which is significantly prevalent in rural areas; (iii) persistent rural child labour, labour exploitation and trafficking, and inhumane conditions; (iv) lack of institutional coordination, since the coexistence of national and provincial agencies and RENATRE leads to an overlap of functions and, in some cases, gaps in monitoring; and (v) policies of austerity in public spending, which jeopardize the continuity and strengthening of inspection services in general and rural inspectorates in particular. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect. The Committee also requests the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure the effective functioning of the labour inspection system in agriculture, including in the remote rural areas referred to by the CGT RA. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that, in practice, labour inspection in agriculture is under the supervision and control of a central body, including information on coordination between the various national and provincial bodies and RENATRE. The Committee further requests the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken under the cooperation agreement with RENATRE aimed at reducing unregistered work.

Labour administration – Convention No. 150

Articles 1(b), 4, 7 and 10 of the Convention.Effective functioning of the labour administration system. Coordination. Resources and staff. Gradual extension of the functions of the labour administration with regard to untypical forms of employment. The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that, by means of Decree 8/2023 of 10 December 2023, the Ministry of Human Capital was created, which took over the commitments and obligations of the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry for Women, Gender and Diversity (section 10). The Committee also notes the organization charts of the new ministry provided by the Government, according to which the current Secretariat of Labour reports to the Ministry of Human Capital. In this regard, the Committee notes that the CGT RA, ATE and CLATE express concern in their observations that the Government has downgraded the Ministry of Labour to the status of Secretariat of Labour. The Committee further notes that the ATE and CLATE also state in their joint observations that: (i) there have been 50,000 dismissals, although none in the area of labour inspection; (ii) the state inspectorate is overburdened and its functions overlap with those of the Province of Buenos Aires, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and other agencies; and (iii) Act 27.742 reformed the Framework Law on the regulation of national public employment (Act 25.164), allowing staff with tenure to be dismissed if, in the Administration’s opinion, the optimum staffing level required has been exceeded.

The Committee also notes the indication by the CGT RA in its observations that, since December 2023, the Government has implemented a policy of adjustment and dismantling of the national public sector, including in the area of labour administration and also in the provincial states. In particular, the CGT RA indicates the following: (i) several bodies dealing with gender and discrimination in 2024 have been dissolved and public policies for the inclusion of vulnerable sectors in the labour market have been discontinued; (ii) more than 3,000 posts have been eliminated in the Social Security and National State Revenue Agency; (iii) with regard to the platform economy, problems have been identified relating to job instability, lack of appeal mechanisms and access to information, and occupational risks; and (iv) various regulations enacted by the Government, which have been suspended by the courts, have affected labour administration and labour relations. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect. The Committee also requests the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure the effective organization and functioning of the labour administration system, as provided for in Articles 4 and 10 of the Convention. The Committee further requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken or planned to gradually promote the extension of the functions of the labour administration system to workers in non-standard forms of employment untypical forms of employment, in accordance with Article 7 of the Convention.

Article 5. Consultation, cooperation and negotiation between the public authorities and the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee notes that the CGT RA states in its observations that, following the measures implemented by the Government since December 2023, social dialogue in institutional terms has been weakened. In particular, the union indicates the following: (i) the Economic and Social Council has been abolished; (ii) the National Committee for the Elimination of Child Labour is virtually paralysed, with no tripartite meetings; (iii) the normal functioning of the National Council on Employment, Productivity and the Minimum Wage (CSMVM) has been obstructed; (iv) few tripartite actions have been taken to implement the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) 2022–25; (v) the labour administration is delaying the approval of agreements negotiated collectively between trade unions and employers, and is attempting to establish “ceilings” to limit wage increases unilaterally; and (vi) there are outstanding structural challenges in the area of occupational safety and health, particularly with regard to the lack of institutionalized tripartite social dialogue. The Committee also notes that CTA Autonomous asserts that the CSMVM has flaws in its composition, structure and operation which have called into question the legitimacy of its decisions for years. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect. The Committee also requests the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure consultation, cooperation and negotiation between the public authorities and the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee further requests the Government to provide information on the progress achieved in this regard, including information on the functioning of the above-mentioned tripartite bodies.

The Committee reminds the Government that it has the possibility of requesting technical assistance from the ILO, including with regard to the provincial administrative departments.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

The Committee notes the observations from the Confederation of Workers of Argentina (Workers’ CTA) and the General Confederation of Labour of the Argentine Republic (CGT RA), received on 25 August and 1 September 2014 respectively, which refer to labour inspection. The Committee invites the Government to respond to these observations, which will be examined, together with the Government’s reply, under the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81).

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee asks the Government to supply extracts of reports or other periodic information provided by the principal labour administration services.

Replies received to the issues raised in a direct request which do not give rise to further comments (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, which answers the points raised in its previous direct request and has no further matters to raise in this regard.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

The Committee notes with interest the Government’s first report and the documents attached thereto. It asks the Government to provide in its next report additional information on the following matters.

Article 3 of the Convention. The Government is asked to indicate any activities in the field of national labour policy which are regarded as matters that are regulated through recourse to direct negotiations between employers’ and workers’ organizations.

Article 5, paragraph 2. Consultation, negotiation and cooperation at regional and local levels. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether there are any other regional and/or local authorities forming part of the National Agricultural Labour Commission (CNTA), apart from the regional advisory committees (CAR), which ensure, in other sectors of national economic activity, the tripartite consultation, cooperation and negotiation provided for by this provision of the Convention.

Article 7, paragraph (d). Extension of the functions of the labour administration system. The Committee asks the Government to indicate whether it considers that national conditions require the gradual extension of the functions of the labour administration system to persons working under systems established by communal customs or traditions.

Article 10, paragraph 2. Human resources and material means of the labour administration system. The Government is requested to provide information that is as detailed as possible on the composition, status and conditions of service of the staff of the labour administration system and the material means and financial resources allocated for the performance of their duties.

The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information on the decisions taken and the activities carried out within the MERCOSUR framework to strengthen the labour administration system, and on their impact.

Part IV of the report form. The Government is requested to communicate a copy of any report or extracts thereof or any other periodic information provided by the principal labour administration services.

Part V. ILO Decent Work Country Programme. The Government is also requested to communicate information on the conclusions and possible recommendations of the independent evaluation of the Decent Work Country Programme developed for the country for the 2004–07 period.