Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Jamaica (Ratification: 1975)

The Committee notes the Government’s detailed report for the period ending September 2003. It trusts that in its next report, the Government will include updated information in relation to the matters covered by the report form including details on the following points.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Government indicates that employment growth has continued a negative trend falling by 2.1 per cent between 1998 and 2000. Despite the decrease in employment, open unemployment has remained stable; it is estimated at 15.5 per cent for the year 2000. The Government also reports that unemployment is particularly high among both females (46.5 per cent in 1998) and young persons (22.5 per cent in 1999). An estimated 3 per cent of the labour force is underemployed, which represents a 40.9 per cent increase compared with 1998. Underemployment particularly affects the female population who accounted for 56.7 per cent of total underemployed in 2000. Please continue to provide disaggregated data on labour market trends, including labour force survey statistics, particularly for youth, people with disabilities, older workers and the long-term unemployed.

2. The Government reports that in 2002 the Ministry of Labour and Social Security launched a Labour Market Information System (LMIS) and Electronic Labour Exchange (ELE) developed with technical assistance from the United States Department of Labor. The LMIS is a mechanism through which quantitative and qualitative information or trends in the demand and supply of labour and other labour market phenomena are collected, stored, analysed and disseminated. The ELE component of the system acts as an online listing of jobseekers’ résumés, job advertisements as well as information on job hunting including interview skills, résumé writing and other functions aimed at facilitating job searching and matching functions for employees and employers. The ILO specialist in the Caribbean region has also indicated that Jamaica is participating in the Caribbean LMIS project, which collects data on macroeconomic indicators, employment, labour conflicts and social protection.

3. The Government reports that the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) has overall responsibility for articulating, advising on and monitoring all economic and social objectives including projects and programmes related to employment. Furthermore, it states that this monitoring process and the new labour market information systems enable policy decision-making to take place in a comprehensive and integrated framework. The Committee notes this information with interest and requests that the Government provide more detailed information on the work accomplished by the PIOJ in the field of employment policy and on how statistical information on the labour market is used in deciding on and reviewing employment policy measures. Furthermore, it would be grateful if the Government would indicate to what extent the labour market information systems have improved the collection and analysis of statistical data.

4. The Government further reports that it has pursued labour market reforms addressing, inter alia, the issues of the conciliation process, flexible work arrangements and workers’ rights. Under the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities (2000) it has established an Education and Adaptive Aid Fund providing scholarships and special adaptive aids for the disabled. The Committee would appreciate receiving further information on labour market policy reforms and the Government’s strategy for ensuring that the flexibility and casualization of jobs help fulfil the objectives of full, productive and freely chosen employment. Please also include information on programmes and/or projects developed with the assistance of the ILO and the outcomes of this cooperation.

5. Article 3. The Government explains that consultations with the social partners take place through boards such as the HEART Board, the Apprenticeship Board and the Training Board. Additionally, to deal with new labour policies and approaches there exists a tripartite Labour Advisory Committee that meets "periodically" to examine these issues. The Committee refers to Article 3 of the Convention which calls for regular consultations with representatives of employers and workers with a view to taking fully into account their experience and views and securing their full cooperation in formulating and enlisting support for employment policies.  The Committee would be grateful if the Government could provide further information on the manner in which such consultations in the matters covered by the Convention are ensured, including any examples of the questions addressed or the decisions reached through the tripartite boards and committees that the Government has described. Please also provide information on whether consultations are carried out with representatives of rural and informal sector workers, as requested in the report form under Article 3.