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

Termination of Employment Convention, 1982 (No. 158) - Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ratification: 1987)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments initially made in 2013.

Repetition

Observations by the Labour Confederation of Congo (CCT). Abusive dismissals. The CCT expresses concern at a collective labour dispute which involved the massive, abusive and unlawful dismissal of around 40 employees of a private multinational enterprise governed by French law, in which the public authorities are reported to have let the situation deteriorate, disregarding the provisions of the Convention. The CCT also refers in this context to the wilful violation by the employer of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and particularly those on employment and industrial relations. The Committee notes that the CCT called on the authorities to ensure the reinstatement of workers subjected to abusive and unlawful dismissal and the application of the provisions of the Convention respecting severance allowances and collective dismissals. The Committee invites the Government to provide its own comments on the observations of the CCT. It hopes that the Government will be in a position to indicate whether the dismissals referred to were based on valid reasons (Article 4 of the Convention) and whether the dismissed workers were entitled to severance allowances (Article 12). It also requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted to mitigate the effects of the dismissals, such as those envisaged in Paragraphs 25 and 26 of the Termination of Employment Recommendation, 1982 (No. 166). It recalls that the ILO can provide assistance to promote the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy.

In reply to the previous comments, the Government has provided the relevant provisions of Act No. 13/005 of 15 January 2013 issuing the conditions of service of military members of the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Article 2(4) of the Convention). The Committee once again invites the Government to provide a report containing information on the practice of the labour inspectorate and the decision of the courts on matters of principle relating to the application of Articles 4, 5 and 7 of the Convention. Please indicate the number of appeals against termination, their outcome, the nature of the remedy awarded and the average time taken for an appeal to be decided (Parts IV and V of the report form).

Article 7. Procedure prior to, or at the time of, termination. The Government has provided the text of the national interoccupational collective agreement of December 2005, which does not appear to envisage the possibility of a specific procedure to be followed prior to, or at the time of, termination, as required by the Convention. The Committee once again invites the Government to provide copies of collective agreements which have provided for this possibility and to indicate in its next report the manner in which this provision of the Convention is given effect for workers not covered by collective agreements.

Article 12. Severance allowance and other income protection. The Government indicates in its report that section 63 of the Labour Code of 2002 protects employment and recommends reinstatement in the event of the abusive termination of the employment contract. In the absence of reinstatement, damages are set by the labour tribunal. The Committee emphasizes that this method of compensating unjustified termination, namely through the granting of damages by the court, is covered more by Article 10 of the Convention, which envisages the payment of adequate compensation or such other relief as may be deemed appropriate. The severance allowance, which is one form of income protection, needs to be distinguished from damages paid in the event of unjustified termination. Under the terms of Article 12 of the Convention, a worker whose employment has been terminated shall be entitled, in accordance with national law and practice, to either a severance allowance or other separation benefits; or to benefits from unemployment insurance or assistance or other forms of social security; or a combination of such allowance and benefits. The Committee recalls its previous comments and notes that the Labour Code does not specify the severance allowance which is to be paid to workers, in accordance with Article 12 of the Convention. The Committee once again invites the Government to indicate the manner in which effect is given to Article 12 of the Convention.

Articles 13 and 14. Terminations for economic or similar reasons. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Welfare signed 15 orders authorizing collective terminations for economic or similar reasons, covering 701 workers in 2012–13. The Committee invites the Government to indicate whether the dismissed workers were entitled to severance allowances (Article 12). It hopes that the Government will also be in a position to provide information on the measures taken to mitigate the effects of these terminations, as envisaged in Paragraphs 25 and 26 of the Termination of Employment Recommendation, 1982 (No. 166).

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.