Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Ecuador (Ratification: 1972)

1. The Committee notes the Government's report and the information which it supplied in reply to its previous comments. The Government supplied statistics drawn from household surveys which show the levels and trends of employment, underemployment and unemployment from 1988 to 1991. The Committee notes that, despite the substantial growth in employment, open unemployment rose (the unemployment rate increased from 7 per cent in 1988 to 8.5 per cent of the active population in 1991). Women are the most seriously affected by unemployment, with an unemployment rate which is double that of male workers. Young persons under 25 years of age also have a high unemployment rate. Furthermore, nearly half the active urban population was affected by underemployment in 1991.

2. The Government states in its report that its social and labour policy has had three fundamental objectives since 1992: (a) the creation of more jobs through the implementation of a social policy which results in development and establishes conditions of justice, security and confidence which can attract internal and external investment, with a view to combating unemployment and underemployment; (b) the establishment and protection of a fair wage; and (c) the equitable and harmonious development of relations between workers and employers, through the recognition and encouragement of the rights of workers as set out in national and international legal principles and standards. The Government states that it is concerned by the gravity of the employment and unemployment problem and by the social costs of the structural adjustment measures adopted in September 1992. The Committee notes the formulation of a compensation plan, involving measures to encourage micro-enterprises and various types of assistance to support persons on low incomes. The Government once again emphasizes the efforts which it is making to promote employment in the rural sector, particularly through the programme for urgent employment and social development (PEEDS) which is intended to help the regions and categories which are the most affected by the crisis and which is being implemented by the National Employment Institute. In this context, the Government has supplied data on the measures which have been taken and the jobs which have been created.

3. The Committee hopes that the Government will continue to supply information on the measures which have been taken or are envisaged with a view to the implementation of an active employment policy, the objectives of which are set out in Article 1 of the Convention. To this effect, it requests the Government to refer to the questions contained in the report form approved by the Governing Body. The Committee also points out that Article 2 provides that the measures which are adopted to attain the objectives of full, productive and freely chosen employment should be decided on and kept under review within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy. It requests the Government to describe in its next report the procedures which have been adopted to guarantee that the measures which are taken to promote economic development and other economic and social objectives contribute to the attainment of the employment objectives set out in development programmes.

4. With regard to the effect given to Article 3, the Committee recalls that it emphasized in its previous observation the importance which it attaches to consultation with the representatives of the persons affected by the measures to be taken in relation to employment policy. The experience and views of these persons should be fully taken into account and their full cooperation secured in formulating and enlisting the support which is necessary to implement the employment policy. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on the manner in which employers' and workers' organizations are consulted, as well as the representatives of the rural sector and the informal sector, in order to enable it to assess the effect which is given to this provision of the Convention.

5. In a direct request, the Committee requests the Government to supply additional information on matters such as trade policy and its effects on employment, the compensation measures adopted for the persons affected by structural adjustment and the technical cooperation received from the ILO.