Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Spain (Ratification: 1960)

Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. Skills and training of employment service personnel. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2009. The Government refers to the working of the Public Employment Services Information System implemented in May 2005 to collect information produced as a result of the management of the public employment services of the State and the autonomous communities. The Government also provides statistics on the mediation role played by the public employment services.

In February 2009, the Office sent the Government a communication from the Independent Federation of Civil Servants (CSI-F), which expressed concern at the lack of skills among staff responsible for occupational guidance in the Autonomous Community of Galicia. The CSI-F refers to the provisions of Article 9 of the Convention, and states that the Executive Council of Galicia, through the Labour Council, hired personnel who had no specific qualifications for guidance work. This, in the CSI-F’s view, has serious consequences, such as the de‑professionalization of the public service of Galicia, poor quality in the supply of these services to the public, and the demotivation of those who do have proper qualifications.

The Committee also notes the comments by the Trade Union Confederation of Workers’ Commissions (CC.OO.) of Andalucia, appended to the Government’s report. This organization alleges failure to implement the agreements signed by the Government of Andalucia concerning the increase in staff for the offices of the Andalucian Employment Service and the lack of any provision to fill vacant posts, to the detriment of performance and quality of the services. In the view of the CC.OO. of Andalucia, poor human resources management and the lack of professionalism are causing great dissatisfaction among the users of employment offices because the quality of the public service is declining.

The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures that ensure the operation of employment offices sufficient in number to meet the needs of employers and workers in each of the autonomous communities. It furthermore invites the Government to include in the report precise information on the manner in which it is ensured that the staff of the employment services in the Autonomous Communities of Andalucia and Galicia have the necessary skills to perform the duties set forth in the Convention and that they have received adequate training. The Committee points out that the report form for the Convention requests the Government, under Article 9, to provide particulars of the arrangements made for subsequent training of employment service staff, and that this is particularly important in view of current circumstances in the labour market in Spain.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2010.]