Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2025, publiée 114ème session CIT (2026)

Convention (n° 81) sur l'inspection du travail, 1947 - Mali (Ratification: 1964)

The Committee notes the observations of the National Council of Employers of Mali (CNPM), communicated with the Government’s report.

Article 3(2) of the Convention. Further duties entrusted to labour inspectors. Further to its previous comment, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the conciliation activities performed by the inspectors of the Regional Labour Departments (DRTs) and those of the National Labour Department (DNT) have unfortunately taken on greater importance than the principal duties entrusted to the labour inspection services due to several factors, including the inadequacy of the human, material and financial resources necessary for the adequate performance of their duties. The Government indicates that, in order to remedy this situation, with the agreement of the social partners, the Social Stability and Growth Pact includes a plan for the strengthening of labour services. The implementation of this plan will make it possible to provide the labour services with sufficient human, material and financial resources so that they are able to perform the duties entrusted to them adequately. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the specific action taken within the context of the implementation of the above Pact and on the results achieved in terms of ensuring that any further duties entrusted to labour inspectors do not interfere with the discharge of their primary duties.

Articles 5(a), 13 and 14. Preventive function of labour inspection and notification to the labour inspection services of industrial accidents and cases of occupational disease. Effective cooperation between the inspection services and other Government services engaged in similar activities. Further to its previous comment, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that, during the reference period, the labour services did not receive from the National Social Insurnace Institute (INPS) documents or information explaining the reasons which prevent employers from declaring cases of occupational disease. The Government adds that, under section 173 of the Social Insurance Code, the INPS is the structure responsible for gathering for the various categories of establishments all the information required for the compilation of statistics on industrial accidents and occupational diseases. However, the Committee notes that, in its report on the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), the Government indicates that: (i) at the level of the labour inspection services, statistical data on industrial accidents is still collected from the declarations of industrial accidents provided by employers and following the investigations and inspections carried out by labour inspectors; (ii) the various types of information received on the subject are compiled in the annual report on the activities of the DNT; and (iii) between 2022 and the present, the annual reports of the DNT have not referred to any cases of occupational disease declared by employers to the labour inspection services. In relation to the procedure for the notification and recording of cases of occupational disease, the Government refers to sections 71 and 141 of the Social Insurance Code. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on cooperation with the INPS with a view to: (i) assessing the reasons for the absence of notification of cases of occupational disease; and (ii) identifying employers that have not complied with the requirement to notify such cases. It also requests the Government to provide the findings of this assessment.

The Committee also notes the indication by the CNPM in its observations that, apart from some major industrial units, enterprise medical services still do not have the necessary expertise to establish the occupational origin of a disease, and then to declare it to the labour inspection services. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments on this subject.

Finally, in relation to statistics on occupational safety and health (OSH) inspections, the Government indicates that targeted inspections, including those focusing on OSH issues, are extremely rare in view of the lack of adequate equipment for labour inspectors to carry out such inspections. The Committee notes that, in its report on Convention No. 155, the Government indicates that the law allows inspectors to delegate their powers to INPS controllers to take action on their behalf. The Government adds that INPS controllers have greater resources than labour inspectors and are better trained to carry out preventive activities and engage in inspection in relation to OSH. With reference to the point relating to Articles 10 and 11 below, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to ensure that labour inspectorsare provided with the necessary material resources and training to discharge OSH inspections. It also requests the Government to provide further information on the delegation of the powers of labour inspectors to INPS controllers, in law and practice, and to indicate the inspections carried out by the INPS and their results. The Committee also refers to its comments on Convention No. 155 and the Protocol of 2002.

Articles 6, 7(1), 10, 11 and 16. Status and conditions of service of labour inspectors. Adequacy of human and material resources for the needs of the labour inspectorate. Frequency of inspections. Further to its previous comment, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that it was not possible to adopt the draft triennial plan for the strengthening of the labour services 2018–20. However, the objectives of the draft plan have been taken into account in the Stability and Growth Pact, which envisages in overall terms the strengthening of the capacities of labour services. The Government adds that: (i) within the framework of the strengthening of the labour inspection services, four labour and social security administrators were assigned to the labour services in September 2023; (ii) following their recruitment in 2022, three trainee officials from the staff of the labour and social security administration commenced their initial training at the beginning of 2023 for a two-year period; (iii) following the competition for entry into the public service in the 2022 financial year, four executive secretaries were assigned to the labour services and distributed between certain Regional Labour Departments; and (iv) the staff of the labour inspection services include 52 operational labour inspectors (compared with 55 in 2021), 34 labour controllers (compared with 36 in 2021), four human resources administrators (the same as in 2021) and 80 support staff (compared with 84 in 2021).

With regard to material resources, the Government indicates that the labour services still to not have vehicles for enterprise inspections. However, for the discharge of such controls in enterprises, labour inspectors continue to receive reimbursement of their transport costs (in the absence of vehicles placed at their disposal) and the reimbursement of other expenses incurred for such inspections.

The Committee also notes that the DRTs, established by Decree No. 10-117/P-RM, of 19 February 2010, have been made operational by the nomination of regional directors since 2022. However, these Regional Departments still do not have their own premises. Moreover, the work for the construction of DRTs in Tombouctou and Kidal, which was interrupted due to the events that occurred in the North of the country, have still not been restarted. The Government indicates that the inadequacy of financial, human and material resources is still one of the main difficulties faced by inspection. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact, and on the progress achieved and the objectives attained in practice, particularly in relation to material resources (vehicles, premises and equipment), financial resources (operational budget allocated) and human resources (recruitment of qualified labour inspectors). The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the conditions of service of inspection personnel.

Article 7(3). Training of inspection personnel. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the training provided to labour inspectors. With reference to its comment above under Articles 5(a), 13 and 14, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the OSH training provided to labour inspectors and to continue providing information on any other training that they receive.

Articles 20 and 21. Publication and communication to the ILO of annual reports on the work of the labour inspection services. The Committee notes that the last report of the DNT provided by the Government is the report for 2020. The Committee requests the Government to publish and communicate to the ILO annual reports on the work of the labour inspection services, in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, and to take the necessary measures to ensure that they contain information on all the subjects enumerated in Article 21.

The Committee also recalls its comment that is in suspense concerning the Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150), which was adopted by the Committee in 2021, to which the Government will be requested to reply in its next report.