Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Netherlands (Ratification: 1950)

The Committee takes note of the information contained in the Government’s report, received in August 2007, in reply to its 2005 observation, and the comments provided thereon by the National Federation of Christian Trade Unions (CNV).

1. Articles 1, 3 and 7 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to employment creation. The Committee notes that in 2006, 105,000 placements were made by the Centres for Work and Income (CWI) in the Netherlands while numerous other jobseekers also received indirect assistance from the CWI in securing placements. Forty per cent of the 105,000 placements made were undertaken through private employment offices. The Government reports that special measures have been put in place so as to combat youth unemployment, and to assist older unemployed workers in regaining access to the labour market. The Committee welcomes continuing to receive information on the activities of the public employment service, and the results of special measures taken to address special categories of applicants, such as youth and older workers. The Committee also requests information on the measures taken within the various employment offices to facilitate specialization by occupations or industries in which such specialization may be useful.

2. Article 4. Participation of social partners. The Government reports that the introduction of the structure for implementation of work and income (SUWI) has entailed a change in the nature of cooperation between representatives of employers and workers in the employment service, and in the development of employment policy; but that this change has insured such cooperation. The Government has also indicated that, following the introduction of the SUWI, a Council for Work and Income (RWI) was established in which employers, workers, and local communities are represented. The RWI serves as an advisory body with respect to labour market policy and social welfare. The Committee notes that following a series of evaluations, the RWI was reorganized into a slimmer, more focused organization, which is now concentrated on labour market policies, and serves as a formal meeting point for employers, employees and local communities. Furthermore, the Government reports that employers, workers, local communities, CWI and the Social Security Agency are represented in regional platforms for labour market policy, in which the Chamber of Commerce, sector and branch organizations, regional and provincial training centres may participate. The CNV submits that as financial stimulations regulation which previously provided for a regional labour market platform was suspended in 2003, it is concerned as to the continuing activities of the regional labour market platform. The Committee stresses again the importance of involving social partners in developing an effective public employment service, and wishes to continue to receive information on the activities of such advisory committees in the organization and operation of the employment service and in the development of employment service policy.

3. Article 11. Cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies. The Government reports that there is evidence of cooperation between public and private employment agencies. Most of the regional offices of the CWI also include a representative from one or more private agencies, and the public employment agencies facilitate access to information on the private employment agencies. The Government reports that the services for matching offers and applications for employment by private employment agencies concentrate on issuance of temporary contracts on behalf of a user enterprise. In 2005, these agencies made approximately 650,000 such placements, each with an average duration of three months. These agencies act as employers for the purposes of the law, and for collective labour agreements. The Government notes that 4 to 5 per cent of the share of employment is filled in this manner. The Committee refers to its observation on the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181), and invites the Government to continue to provide information on the arrangements made to secure effective cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies.