Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Antigua and Barbuda (Ratification: 2002)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention, received in July 2008.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Government indicates in its report that an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment is not applicable to Antigua and Barbuda at this time. The Government reports that its stated policy is to expand the financial services sector. According to information available, the rate of unemployment in Antigua and Barbuda stood at 3.3 per cent in 2001. The Committee notes from the Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean, prepared by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, that in 2007 Antigua and Barbuda experienced rapid growth at a rate of 6.1 per cent. Such growth was attributed to tourism-related construction. The Committee requests that the Government provide information in its next report on the steps that have been taken to put in place, and keep under periodical review, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment in Antigua and Barbuda. In this regard, the Committee invites the Government to provide information on steps taken to ensure that employment policy considerations are placed at the heart of macro-economic and social policies, and to provide information on the effect its general and sectoral economic policies, such as the Government’s stated policy of expanding the financial services sector, have had in achieving employment generation. The Committee would also welcome receiving comprehensive information on the programmes implemented and their impact on employment promotion, both in aggregate and as they affect particular categories of workers such as women, young persons, older workers and workers with disabilities.

2. Employment services. The Government indicates in its report that a “One Stop Employment Centre” was established in the Labour Department of Antigua and Barbuda, which is responsible for the registration of persons seeking employment. The Employment Centre communicates with employers with a view to undertaking job-matching. The Committee invites the Government to supply more information on the means by which the “One Stop Employment Centre” serves to match labour supply and demand, and the effect such activities are having on employment promotion.

3. Education and vocational training. The Government indicates in its report that, in light of its stated policy to expand the financial services sector, community access centres were established to train persons in the area of information technology. The community access centres are open to all categories of workers. The Committee also notes that the Government has embarked on an initiative, with the assistance of the European Union, to strengthen technical and vocational education. The Government indicates that this policy will become fully operational following the enactment of the Antigua and Barbuda National Training Agency Act which is presently before Parliament. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the results of its technical and vocational training programmes, following the enactment of the Antigua and Barbuda National Training Agency Act and the measures taken to ensure that the skills acquired through such training programmes meet the demands of the labour market.

4. Article 2. Collection and use of employment data. The Government indicates in its report that the Labour Department of Antigua and Barbuda houses a statistical unit which is charged with the collection of data in reference to employment. The Committee invites the Government to supply information on steps taken to strengthen the capacity of the statistics unit of the Labour Department to collect and analyse statistical data and to assess the situation of, and trends in, employment, unemployment and underemployment.

5. Article 3. Participation of the social partners in policy preparation and implementation. The Government indicates in its report that there are no formal consultative procedures in place with respect to this provision of the Convention. Nevertheless, the Government states that any revision of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code is done by the National Labour Board. According to section B7 of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code, the National Labour Board is comprised of representatives, in equal numbers, of governments, employers and employees. By section B7(3) of the Labour Code, the principal responsibility of the National Labour Board is to periodically review the Code in light of the development, economic and social needs of Antigua and Barbuda and to advise the Minister on the need for changes in the said Code. The Committee requests the Government to provide specific information in its next report on the manner in which the National Labour Board operates in practice such that social partners are consulted concerning employment policies and that their experiences and views are fully taken into account in formulating such policies.