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Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921 (No. 14) - Dominica (RATIFICATION: 1983)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Repetition

Article 2(1) of the Convention. Scope of application. In the absence of a Government’s reply on this point, the Committee is obliged to reiterate its request for appropriate action with a view to amending section 9 of the Labour Standards Act, 1977 and extending the rules on weekly rest to managerial employees in conformity and within the limits prescribed by the Convention. The Committee draws once again the Government’s attention to the fact that the Convention does not permit the exclusion of persons holding high managerial positions or persons in confidential and supervisory positions on the understanding that a minimum period of rest and leisure every week is a legitimate interest and an absolute prerequisite for the protection of health and welfare of every employed person, irrespective of the level of his/her responsibilities or tasks.

Articles 4 and 5. Total or partial exceptions. While recalling that in an earlier report the Government had indicated that the exceptions provided for in this Article do not exist in principle, the Committee wishes to observe that under modern conditions there is often a real need to keep certain establishments in operation on the day of weekly rest by reason of the nature of their activities (such as hospitals, continuous processes), or in exceptional cases (for example, major accidents, force majeure or urgent repair work). It therefore requests the Government to specify how effect is given to these Articles of the Convention, including the requirement to grant, as far as possible, compensatory rest to those performing work on their weekly rest day.