Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Hours of Work and Rest Periods (Road Transport) Convention, 1979 (No. 153) - Ecuador (Ratification: 1988)

Further to its previous observations, the Committee notes with regret that no significant progress has been made up to now in the application of the Convention. Indeed, according to the Government’s indications in its report, sections 322-336 of the Labour Code, which are not in conformity with the principal provisions of the Convention, continue to regulate work in transport enterprises. The Government adds that a tripartite meeting will be organized to determine the government policies and legal provisions which would enable it to bring the law into conformity with the Convention. In this respect, it is the Committee’s understanding that the Government had prepared a draft Ministerial Order intended to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

The Committee recalls that during the course of the 17 years which have elapsed since the ratification of the Convention, the Government has not brought national law and practice into conformity with the requirements of the Convention, despite the repeated comments made by the Committee of Experts, the conclusions adopted in June 2003 by the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards, and also the many technical assistance missions carried out by the Office. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of any development relating to the adoption of the draft Ministerial Order referred to above and the results of the tripartite meeting to which the Government refers in its report. It trusts that the Government will make every effort, if necessary with the technical assistance of the Office, to give full effect to the provisions of the Convention without further delay.