Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

Dock Work Convention, 1973 (No. 137) - France (Ratification: 1977)

Article 2(1) of the Convention. National policy aiming to provide permanent or regular employment for dockworkers. The Government, in reply to the Committee’s previous comments, refers to the adoption, with the involvement of all the social partners, of Act No. 2015-1592 of 8 December 2015 on consolidating and clarifying the organization of cargo handling in ports. The Committee notes that the purpose of the Act is to address the difficulties of a number of dockworkers who remain under the intermittence regime. The Government adds that section L.5343-1 of the Act has amended the definition of the work of a dockworker and establishes two categories of dockworkers: professional dockworkers, who are employed either on a monthly or intermittent basis, and casual dockworkers. It also indicates that a scheme establishing priority employment for dockworkers has been developed in order to provide them with preferential access to several types of dock work involving the loading and unloading of ships. The Committee notes that as at 31 August 2017, there were 321 dockworkers working in French ports. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply up-to-date information in its future reports on changes in the numbers of dockworkers, and on the results achieved in the wake of the tripartite measures taken to improve the efficiency of dock work, particularly in relation to the impact of Act No. 2015-1592 of 8 December 2015. It also requests the Government to provide a copy of the scheme establishing priority employment for dockworkers.