Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Croatia (Ratification: 1991)

The Committee notes the Government's report covering the period up to 1997, the observations made by the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC) on the application of the Convention and the Government's comments on these observations. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on a certain number of points.

Article 5 of the Convention. Effective cooperation between the inspection services and other government services. In its observations UATUC alleges the default of cooperation between the labour inspectors and the navigation safety inspectors, stating that navigation safety inspectors, who have the obligation to inspect ships with regard to occupational safety and health, working conditions and accommodation on board, do not perform these inspections as they do not consider themselves competent enough for the job; there are no labour inspectors trained specifically to inspect ships. The Committee notes that in its response the Government refers to the specificity of the supervision of ships resulting from the short period ships stay in port and the variety of applicable regulations, indicating that the bulk of supervision on board ships is accordingly exercised by the safety of navigation inspection, and rarely by the labour inspection. The Committee asks the Government to provide more detailed information on the cases and forms of involvement of the labour inspectors in the supervision over ships as well as to describe how the cooperation is organized between the labour inspection and the safety of navigation inspection.

Article 7, paragraph 3. Adequate training. The Committee notes the above-mentioned allegations by UATUC that no labour inspectors are trained specifically to inspect ships. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the training of labour inspectors conducting inspections on ships.

Article 10. Number of labour inspectors. The Committee notes that the UATUC alleges that the Convention is not satisfactorily applied as the number of 142 inspectors is not sufficient for the discharge of their duties; it considers that such number should amount to 300 inspectors. While noting the response by the Government that it had referred in its report to the insufficient number of inspectors, the Committee asks the Government to indicate measures undertaken or envisaged in order to ensure that the number of labour inspectors is sufficient to secure the effective discharge of the duties of the inspectorate.

Articles 17 and 18. Prompt legal proceedings; effective enforcement of adequate penalties. The Committee notes the statement of UATUC that labour inspectors hesitate to take measures against employers even when there are good reasons to do so. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the legal provisions giving effect to Articles 17 and 18 of the Convention and to provide information on the practical application of these Articles.