Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Argentina (Ratification: 1955)

The Committee notes the Government's reports for the period up to 30 June 1999. It also notes the observations by the Latin American Confederation of Labour Inspectors.

1. The Committee notes with interest that following its previous comments to the effect that no inspection report had been sent to the ILO since 1984, the Government has communicated the 1997 annual labour inspection report as well as the 1997 and 1998 statistical summary on labour inspection, occupational accidents and diseases, required under Article 21 of the Convention. It hopes that the Government will in future comply with this requirement of the Convention and provide labour inspection reports on a regular basis.

2. The Committee noted previously that Decree No. 772/96 of 15 July 1996 assigned to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security the functions of supervision and central authority for labour inspection throughout the territory and it expressed the hope that the new structure would enhance progress in the application of the Convention.

The Committee notes that in its observations the Latin American Confederation of Labour Inspectors alleges the absence of inspection services in several provinces of the country (Article 4), the absence of correspondence between the remuneration of labour inspectors and that of other civil servants having lower or equal responsibilities (Article 6), the absence of adequate training of labour inspectors for the performance of their duties (Article 7, paragraph 3), the inadequacy of the number of inspectors, of the frequency of inspection visits (Articles 10 and 16), and non-reimbursement of travelling expenses to labour inspectors (Article 11). It also alleges that the Superintendency of Risks at Work is not performing its functions efficiently and does not take into consideration prevention of accidents (Articles 8, 10, 13, 14 and 16). The Committee hopes that the Government will provide its comments on these allegations as well as information on the status, rights and responsibilities of the inspectors of the Superintendency of Risks at Work.

3. With reference to previous observations by the Union of United Maritime Workers (SOMU) concerning the enforcement of legal provisions relating to conditions of work and the protection of workers, the Committee notes the agreement signed among different administrations and trade unions for an integrated and coordinated plan of port and maritime inspection, whose first phase was executed in December 1997. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide information on any further labour inspection activities undertaken in the framework of this plan.

4. The Committee addresses a request directly to the Government on certain other points.