Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Uganda (Ratification: 1963)

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Article 4 of the Convention. Supervision and control by a central authority. The Committee notes with concern the information provided by the Government in its report that the labour inspectorate is still not placed under a central authority, with local governments directly supervising the labour inspectors within their respective jurisdictions. The Committee once again urges the Government to strengthen its efforts to place the labour inspection system under a central authority with a view to ensuring coherence in the functioning of the system. It requests the Government to provide information on the legislative and practical steps taken, including the consultations held in that respect.

Articles 10, 11 and 16. Resources of the labour inspection system and inspection visits. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that funds have been allocated for all types of inspections, albeit unevenly distributed, with a certain emphasis on workplaces with the highest risk, and that the total number of labour inspectors in the country remains 231. However, the Government does not provide information regarding the approved but unfilled positions. The Committee also notes the information from the Government that (i) labour inspectors are provided with local offices which are fairly equipped; and (ii) labour inspectors are reimbursed for the travel and incidental expenses related to the performance of their duties. The Committee also notes the Government’s further indication that: (i) the financial and human resources allocated to the labour inspectorate are insufficient, given that district labour inspectors have inadequate space and shared offices, which affects the performance of their duties; and (ii) the lack of transportation facilities for labour inspections hampers effective monitoring of compliance with labour standards, leading to a reduction in the number of inspections, particularly within the informal sector. The Committee once again urges the Government to take further measures to ensure that there are a sufficient number of labour inspectors and they are provided with adequate resources, in conformity with Articles 10 and 11 of the Convention. It also urges the Government to take immediate measures to ensure that workplaces are inspected as often as is necessary for the effective application of the relevant legal provisions, as required by Article 16 of the Convention. In this respect, it requests the Government to take measures to ensure the filling of the vacant positions, and to address the lack of necessary transport facilities for inspectors. Finally, the Committee requests the Government to continue to report on the measures taken and provide information on the total number of inspector positions, the number of filled positions, and the number of inspection visits carried out.

Articles 19, 20 and 21. Reports from local inspection offices and publication and communication of an annual report on labour inspection. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government that it is in the process of compiling data for the report and that it plans to publish it upon the availability of funds. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that under the decentralized structures, labour inspectors report directly to the districts, which leads to irregularities of reporting to the central inspection authority. In line with the requirements of Articles 20 and 21 of the Convention and recalling that section 20 of the Uganda Employment Act of 2006 also provides for the annual publication of a report, the Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that annual reports on labour inspection are published and communicated regularly to the ILO, encompassing the information specified in Article 21(a)–(g).

[The Government is asked to reply in full to the present comments in 2025.]