Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Nicaragua (Ratification: 1981)

1. The Committee notes the Government's report which was received by the Office in March 1989. It notes that underlying the economic measures adopted in February 1988 were measures to reduce employment in the public sector and redeploy the workers concerned. The Government indicates that priority has been given to three employment programmes for the placement of former members of the armed services, the disabled, and returning emigrants. A programme has also been introduced to reduce the size of the informal economy, and 251 co-operatives have been set up to promote small industry.

The Committee expresses its concern at the continued deterioration of the economic situation (the GDP growth rate was negative in 1987 and 1988) and its impact on the employment situation of the economically active population, of which, according to estimates by the Office, two-thirds are unemployed or underemployed. It hopes that in its next report the Government will be able to supply information on the results achieved by the above employment programmes. Please also provide a detailed description of the measures adopted to meet all applications for employment, with particular reference to overall and sectoral development policies (and particularly measures adopted in such fields as investment policy; fiscal and monetary policies; trade policy; prices, incomes and wages policies). Please also describe the policies aimed directly at the labour market and policies in the fields of education and vocational training, in reply to the questions raised in the report form under Article 1 of the Convention.

2. The Committee refers to its 1988 direct request and requests the Government to include in its next report information on the measures that have been taken to collect and analyse statistical and other data concerning the size and distribution of the labour force, the nature and extent of unemployment and underemployment and the procedures adopted to ensure that the effects on employment of measures taken to promote economic development receive due consideration, as requested in the report form for Article 2.

3. The Committee notes the measures that have been adopted to promote employment in the rural sector. It trusts that the Government will continue to supply information on the results achieved by agrarian reform and other measures that have been adopted to promote productive employment in the rural sector. The Government may find it useful in this connection to consult paragraph 27 of the Employment Policy Recommendation, 1964 (No. 122), the text of which is annexed to the report form for the Convention.

4. In its previous comments, the Committee requested information on consultations with representatives of employers' and workers' organisations on the matters covered by the Convention, as required by Article 3. The Committee notes once again that the Government has not supplied such information. The Committee points out the importance of consultations with the representatives of the persons affected by the measures that are adopted. These consultations should have the object of taking into account the experience and views of such persons and enlisting their support for the implementation of the measures. The Committee trusts that, in its next report, the Government will not fail to supply the information required under the report form on the consultations held with representatives of employers' and workers' organisations and of the persons affected, including those who work in the rural sector and the informal sector.