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Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Brazil (RATIFICATION: 1981)

1. The Committee has taken note of the Government's report, which contains information in response to its previous direct request. It has also taken note of a double communication from the "Gaucha" Association of Labour Inspectors (AGITRA) dated 11 and 26 December 1991, a copy of which has been transmitted to the Government by letter of 10 January 1992 so that it may communicate its own observations on the points raised.

2. AGITRA makes allegations to the effect that none of the substantive provisions of the Convention have been put into effect. According to this organisation, the precariousness of the employment services and the abolition of the coordinating bodies at State level prevent the development of the comprehensive and coordinated programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training required by Article 1 of the Convention. The school system is not coordinated with other training activities and the National Rural Apprenticeship Service (SENAR) has been suppressed, contrary to the provisions of Article 2. The systems of vocational guidance, including continuing employment information, are inadequate and do not supply any of the information specified by Article 3, paragraphs 2 and 3. The reduction of vocational training programmes is contrary to Article 4, and the provisions of Article 5 concerning cooperation with employers' and workers' organisations in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes are not applied. The trade union organisation also points to the coexistence of high unemployment with unfilled job vacancies, and to the adverse effects of restrictive economic and wage policies on the quality of labour.

3. The Committee notes that these allegations are made in the context of an administrative reform which has led to the abolition of certain bodies responsible for vocational training. It notes that the Government states in its report that the Labour Secretariat and the Federal Labour Council have been abolished and that the projects prepared by these two bodies have been suspended. With regard to the abolition of SENAR, the Government indicates that the establishment of a new SENAR has been approved by the Chamber of Deputies and is at present under examination in the Senate.

4. In view of the paucity of the information at its disposal, and pending the receipt of the Government's observations on the above-mentioned allegations, the Committee proposes to postpone to its next session the examination of the application of the Convention, which it will examine in conjunction with the application of Convention No. 122 (Employment Policy). It would therefore be grateful if the Government would supply full information on each of the provisions of the Convention in reply to the questions in the report form. The Committee trusts that the Government's report will establish the conformity of the policy pursued with the obligation to extend gradually the systems of vocational guidance and vocational training (Articles 3 and 4) in cooperation with employers' and workers' organisations (Article 5).

[The Government is asked to report in detail for the period ending 30 June 1992.]