Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - El Salvador (Ratification: 1995)

The Committee notes the detailed information supplied by the Government in a report received in November 2009 in reply to the observation of 2008.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Coordinated economic and social policy. The Government indicates that in June 2009 it was decided that the lynchpin of sectoral, macroeconomic and regional integration-oriented economic policies was to promote the creation of more and better jobs. Specific areas for promotion would be financial facilities in agriculture, foreign investment for the creation of decent employment and local economic development. Priority would also be given to the formalization in agricultural and industrial activities of workers in the informal economy. According to the data published by the ILO in the 2009 Labour Overview, the rate of open unemployment was 5.9 per cent in 2008 and 57.8 per cent of the population was occupied in the informal sector. According to statistics from the Salvadorian Social Security Institute (ISSS), 22,476 new jobs were created in the formal sector between August 2007 and 2008. Manufacturing, industry, trade, finance, personal services and the construction sector have been the largest contributors to job creation. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its next report on the results achieved through the implementation of measures to generate productive employment with ILO assistance in the context of the Decent Work Country Programme 2007. The Committee hopes that the Government will also be able to supply information on the progress made in the formulation and adoption of a National Employment Plan.

2. Impact of trade agreements. In reply to previous comments, the Government indicates that the free trade agreements have contributed to the development of agriculture, increasing the value of exports of the main agricultural and agro-industrial products to the United States market. The Committee notes that a programme of landownership has been implemented, with the emphasis on economic empowerment and greater autonomy for rural women. Technological support has also been given to producers to help increase productivity, harvest yields and improve livestock genetics. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply information on the impact of trade agreements in the creation of lasting employment both in industry and in agriculture.

3. Measures for alleviating the impact of the crisis. Participation of the social partners. The Government refers to the measures aimed at reducing the negative impact of the global economic crisis. The Committee notes that subsidies were granted, the liquidity of the financial system was increased, the agricultural sector was strengthened through the provision of hybrid seed, and assistance programmes were reinforced to reduce the negative impact of increased prices on the budgets of middle-income Salvadorian families. The Government announced a global plan against the crisis giving priority to the protection of existing jobs and the generation of new employment. Furthermore, public investment aimed at creating a substantial number of jobs will be stimulated to expand and improve public services and basic infrastructure and also the construction and improvement of social housing. With the acceleration of public investment, it seeks to create employment, promote local development and activate small and micro-enterprises at the local level through access to state procurement and contracting. In the General Survey of 2010 on employment instruments, the Committee underlined the importance of ongoing and genuine tripartite consultations for confronting and mitigating the effects of the global economic crisis (General Survey, op. cit., paragraph 788). The Committee requests the Government to supply information in its next report on the consultations held to formulate and implement an active employment policy enabling the negative impact of the global crisis to be overcome. The Committee also requests the Government to supply information on the consultations held with representatives of the persons affected by the measures to be taken from other sectors of the economically active population, such as those working in the rural sector and the informal economy.

4. Job placement measures. The Committee notes the information supplied with regard to the activity of the National Employment Opportunities Network. The Government has communicated the results achieved at the 34 employment fairs held in 2008, providing 34,442 jobs and placing 7,188 workers in employment. A total of nine employment fairs at the national level had been held up to June 2009. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply information on the results achieved through job placement activities, including activities undertaken in the context of territorial development programmes for the creation of local employment. In addition, the Committee hopes to receive information on the progress made in strengthening and consolidating the public employment system.

5. Vulnerable groups. The Committee notes the measures taken to promote job creation for women, young persons, older workers, rural workers and those working in the informal economy. The Ministry of Labour has taken a variety of initiatives designed to place young people in work, including organizing three youth employment fairs attended by a total of 12,000 young people, with 6,000 jobs offered by enterprises. The Government proposes to promote programmes facilitating entry into the job market for young persons and to establish incentives for intensive investment in the use and recruitment of young persons and women workers. In its 2010 General Survey, the Committee stressed the importance of moving unemployed persons back into work as quickly as possible, since this not only benefits the individual but also bolsters social cohesion. The long-term unemployed and jobless young persons are particularly susceptible to becoming disconnected from the social mainstream. The resulting social exclusion is harmful not only to those directly affected but also to their communities, which can suffer an increase in anti-social and criminal behaviour and other ill effects of deprivation (General Survey, op. cit., paragraph 799). The Committee also urged governments to formulate policies for job creation and the provision of advice for skilled young workers who are unemployed. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply information on the results achieved through the implementation of measures for increasing the participation of women in the employment market and ensuring the employability of young persons.

6. Persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the detailed information received in September 2010 with the report on Convention No. 159. In addition, the Committee notes the measures taken to achieve greater equality in access to employment for persons with disabilities, including the organization of self‑employment fairs and days to raise awareness of the Act concerning Equality of Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply information on the measures taken to facilitate access to the open employment market for persons with disabilities.

7. Small and medium-sized enterprises. The Committee notes that the National Commission for Small and Micro-Enterprises has drawn up a “Support strategy for small and micro-enterprises 2010–14”, whose strategic components include the development of the competitiveness of strategic sectors which strengthen small and micro-enterprises and contribute towards improving a favourable environment for small and micro-enterprises. The Committee recalls that, in the 2010 General Survey, emphasis was also placed on the key role played by small and medium-sized enterprises in poverty reduction through job creation, in accordance with the Job Creation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Recommendation, 1998 (No. 189). The Committee requests the Government to include information in its next report on the impact of the policies being implemented to promote both enterprise development and the competitiveness and sustainability of micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises.