Observación (CEACR) - Adopción: 1999, Publicación: 88ª reunión CIT (2000)

Convenio sobre la política del empleo, 1964 (núm. 122) - Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte (Ratificación : 1966)

1. Further to previous observations, the Committee notes the Government's report received in October 1998. According to the OECD, the standardized unemployment rate has decreased from 8.3 per cent in 1996 to 7 per cent in 1997 and to 6.3 per cent in 1998; employment has increased by 1.6 per cent in 1997 and 1.4 per cent in 1998; and long-term unemployment has decreased from 38.6 per cent in 1997 to 33.1 per cent in 1998. The Government indicates that workforce jobs increased by 429,000 from 1997 to 1998.

2. The Committee notes with interest the detailed information on the National Employment Action Plan and the new policies to be implemented by the Employment Service. The Government has put into place numerous programmes, including: a Jobfinder's grant to ease the transition from benefit to work; an employment-on-trial scheme which allows people unemployed for over 13 weeks to try a job and leave it voluntarily between the fourth and 12th week without subsequent temporary loss of unemployment benefits; and employment zones with more tailored programmes in geographical areas with particularly high levels of unemployment. The Committee would appreciate being kept informed of the results obtained under the Employment Action Plan and the Employment Service, as requested in the report form under Article 1 of the Convention.

3. According to the Government, part-time jobs reached 6.72 million as of the second quarter of 1998, an increase of 40,000 over the last quarter. According to the OECD, women constitute 80.4 per cent of part-time workers, and part-time employment constitutes 41.2 per cent of employment for women. The Committee notes that the 1999 OECD Employment Outlook report indicates that 22 per cent of the women in part-time work in the United Kingdom would prefer to be employed full time. The Committee would appreciate receiving in the next report further information on part-time employment, in particular on the voluntary nature of part-time work by gender.

4. The Committee requests that the Government indicate whether there are ongoing formal consultative procedures for ensuring the participation of employers' and workers' organizations in the formulation of employment policies.