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

Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144) - Suriname (Ratification: 1979)

Previous comment

Article 5 of the Convention. Effective tripartite consultations. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, between 2020 and 2021, the following instruments were submitted for advice to the ILO Commission, a tripartite consultative body within the Labour Advisory Board (AAC): the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205), the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190), the Violence and Harassment Recommendation, 2019 (No. 206); the Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), the Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183), the Labour Inspection in Agricultural Sectors, 1947 (No.129); and the Minimum Wage Fixing Convention (No. 131). The ILO Commission issued preliminary recommendations on seven of the abovementioned instruments, which were then adopted by the AAC. The Government further indicates that the reports submitted to the ILO under article 22 of the ILO Constitution in 2016 and 2017; as well as the change of status of the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) and the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) were also submitted for comments to the ILO Commission. In addition, the Government reports that, between 2008 and 2019, the ILO Commission did not receive any request for advice from the AAC on ILO matters; and adds that, although Article 5(1) was not fully applied, some items were on the agenda of the AAC, such as the implementation of ratified Conventions. On the other hand, the Committee notes that according to the Government’s report “Suriname’s First Voluntary National Review of the Sustainable Development Goals”, published in 2022, in 2021 the Tripartite Council was set up with the participation of the government, unions and employers to collaborate on actions to improve labour market circumstances. Within this Council, a Tripartite Agreement was reached in November 2021, prioritising five key issues: tax reforms, strengthening of the purchasing power of families, execution of a social safety net, pricing policy and advancing entrepreneurship and employment. This report also indicates that within the framework of the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) 2019–22, supported by ILO, the social dialogue and the strengthening tripartite relations between government, workers and employers have been improved in order to create a labour market information system. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information on the content and outcome of the tripartite consultations held within ILO Commission and the Labour Advisory Board (AAC), on all matters concerning international labour standards set out in Article 5(1) of the Convention, including in relation to items on which information was not provided in the last report such as : the replies to the questionnaires on Conference agenda items (Article 5(1)(a)); the submission of instruments adopted by the Conference (Article 5(1)(b)); and, should this be relevant, the denunciation of ratified Conventions (Article 5(1)(e)), including in relation with the recommendations made by the Governing Body in the context of the Standards Review Mechanism.