Observación (CEACR) - Adopción: 2011, Publicación: 101ª reunión CIT (2012)

Convenio sobre la política del empleo, 1964 (núm. 122) - Uzbekistán (Ratificación : 1992)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Active labour market measures taken in response to the global crisis. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2010 and the additional information provided by the Government and the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan (FTUU) in May 2011. The Government indicates that it benefited from sustainable economic growth, with an 8.1 per cent GDP growth in 2009. The Asian Development Bank forecasted GDP growth of 8.5 per cent in 2010 and 9.0 per cent in 2011. The Committee notes with interest that prior to the elaboration of the ILO Global Jobs Pact, the Government adopted in 2008 an Anti-Crisis Programme of Measures for 2009–12 aimed at recovering from the crisis and providing an increase of the number of available jobs. The Government indicates that 600,000 jobs were created in 2008, and 940,000 jobs in 2009 due to the implementation of the anti crisis programme. In 2010, in accordance with set targets, 950,000 jobs were created through the adoption of measures which included the support of exporting enterprises, the modernization of vital branches of the economy, the implementation of investment projects, the development of micro- and small enterprises, and the promotion of home-work arrangements in cooperation with the manufacturing sector. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the impact of the employment measures taken to overcome the negative effects of the crisis.

Implementation of an active employment policy. The Government reports that the country’s employment policy is proactive as it aims at ensuring full, productive and freely chosen employment. It also indicates the provisions of the Employment Act dealing with employment policy. Furthermore, the Government indicates in its report that in order to implement the employment policy, the local state administration bodies are vested with certain powers which include the development and implementation of the measures promoting the stabilization of the situation of the labour market through, inter alia, the identification of the regions in need of priority development. In this regard, state policy on regional labour markets is implemented both in the framework of national programmes and regional and local employment promotion programmes, taking into account the specific demographic features and the social and economic development of the regions. The FTUU indicates that a General Agreement on socio-economic issues for 2011–13 between the Cabinet of Ministers, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Council of the FTUU provides, inter alia, for the following: ensuring that systemic measures are taken into account when drafting and implementing annual job creation and employment programmes, where special attention should be given to the creation of permanent jobs with stable remuneration and safe working conditions, especially in rural areas; ensuring further implementation of job creation measures by developing effective forms of employment, including small business development and entrepreneurship, construction of housing and social infrastructure, and extensive use of home work arrangements; ensuring the reduction in unemployment and the improvement of vocational training and retraining for the unemployed; ensuring a steady growth in employment, especially in rural areas; and supervising employers’ compliance with the requirements laid down in the labour legislation. The Committee requests the Government to provide in its next report detailed information on the effects of the 2011–13 General Agreement and the outcomes of specific employment policy measures and programmes adopted to address the employment situation in the most affected regions.

Vulnerable categories of workers. The Committee notes the information supplied by the FTUU indicating that trade unions submit proposals on job creation measures and on the allocation of a fixed number of jobs for vulnerable categories of workers. The FTUU further states that these proposals are normally taken into account in designing regional employment programmes. It also indicates that one of the objectives of the General Agreement on socio economic issues for 2011–13 is to provide all possible support to ensure the employment of graduates of higher education and specialized secondary schools, persons returning from military service and socially vulnerable population groups. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report detailed information on the impact of employment measures addressing the needs of vulnerable categories of workers such as women, young people, older workers and workers with disabilities.

Article 3. Participation of social partners in the formulation of policies. The Government indicates that the direct participation of the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations is ensured in the elaboration and implementation process of the employment policy. The FTUU also indicates that an agreement to cooperate in the field of employment policy has been reached between the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the Council of the FTUU. As part of the implementation of the said agreement, the trade unions have set up a public monitoring system relating to job creation measures. In the first quarter of 2011, trade unions carried out verifications in 118 enterprises in order to evaluate the number of new jobs created. The FTUU also indicates that regional and sectoral agreements focus on matters relating to the design and implementation of programmes to promote employment, create jobs, prevent mass unemployment and provide social protection to persons who have lost their jobs. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its next report on the consultations held with the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations, including details of their contributions to the implementation of an active employment policy.