Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Saudi Arabia (Ratification: 1978)

Articles 3(1) and 16 of the Convention. The Committee notes the observations submitted by the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (ICATU). These concern various aspects of labour and employment. The Committee notes the Government's reply that it has always implemented its constitutional reporting obligations to the ILO under articles 19 and 22 of the Constitution and that it rejects all the comments made by the ICATU. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide further details of the work of the labour inspection service, in particular in respect of the alleged expulsion of expatriate workers who still have valid employment contracts, and of any unlawful abrogation or change of the conditions and terms of employment contracts including reductions of wages, earnings and allowances. It would especially be grateful if the Government would indicate how the labour inspection service brings to the attention of the competent authority defects or abuses not covered by existing legal provisions, as required by Article 3, paragraph 1(c), of the Convention.

Articles 20 and 21. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government's report and the report on the activities of the inspection service for the year 1991. The Committee wishes to underline the requirement under Article 20 that the annual report on the work of the inspection service is to be published within a reasonable time after the end of the year to which it relates and in any case within 12 months. It also notes that the report for 1991 does not contain statistics of the workplaces liable to inspection (Article 21(c)) or information by branches of activities, including mining and transport undertakings. It hopes the Government will provide full particulars.