Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Mauritius (Ratification: 1994)

The Committee takes note of the Government’s report, received in September 2012, in reply to the request made by the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards in June 2012.

Article 3 of the Convention. Consultations with the representative employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee notes that in reply to its 2011 observation, the Government indicates that the last meeting by Statistics Mauritius (previously known as the Central Statistics Office) with employers’ and workers’ organizations was held in April 2010 in the context of an ILO expert mission. The Government further indicates that such meetings are organized on an ad hoc basis. However, Statistics Mauritius consults ministries and departments each year to assess their data needs and includes them in the form of additional questions in the Continuous Multi-Purpose Household Survey (CMPHS) questionnaire. Furthermore, no change has been brought to the design of concepts, definitions and methodology used for the collection, compilation and publication of the statistics covered by Articles 7–10 and 13–15 of the Convention. The Committee invites the Government to indicate in its next report the measures taken or envisaged in order to comply with the obligation to consult the social partners, in the event of designing or revising the concepts, definitions and methodology used in respect of the statistics required under this Convention (Articles 7–10 and 13–15).

Article 8. Statistics on the structure and distribution of the economically active population. The Government indicates that the 2011 methodological report on population census will become available by 2013 and that census results giving statistics on the structure and distribution of the economically active population will become available by December 2012. The Committee invites the Government to supply the abovementioned information once it becomes available.

Articles 9(2) and 10. Compilation of statistics on time rates of wages and normal hours of work, and statistics on wage structure and distribution. In its previous comment, the Committee had noted with satisfaction that the CMPHS had started to collect data disaggregated by sex. In addition, the Committee had also noted with satisfaction that statistics on the distribution of the employed population by hours of work, industry and occupation and on earnings by industry, occupation and sex had been published in June 2010. In its last report, the Government indicates that the average monthly income by industrial sector and occupational group based on the CMPHS data has been published in the annual Economic and Social Indicators on Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment for the year 2011, in May 2012. In addition, data on the distribution of employed population by hours of work, industry, occupation, as well as data on income from work by industrial sector and sex were also published in May 2012. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to regularly provide information on these publications as well as the resulting statistics.

Article 14. Statistics on occupational injuries and diseases. In reply to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that the implications and practical aspects of the introduction of measures to cover self-employed workers have to be carefully examined in consultation with all ministries and divisions, prior to being in a position to communicate its stand on the issue. The Committee welcomes the Government’s request for technical assistance from the ILO on how best to implement the provisions of this Article. The Committee therefore hopes that ILO technical assistance on the matter will allow the Government to provide information relating to future developments with regard to the application of Article 14.

Article 15. Statistics on industrial disputes. The Government indicates that, following the coming into force of the Employment Relations Act (EReA) 2008, unless resolved voluntarily between parties or as a result of conciliatory services provided by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment or the Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms, all labour disputes are reported to the Commission for Conciliation and Mediation. The Committee notes with interest that it is envisaged to consult the social partners at the level of the Labour Advisory Council with regard to compilation of the relevant statistics, given the new legal set-up in the EReA concerning dispute reporting and resolution. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report further definitions and methodology and relevant information on any further developments.

Article 16. Acceptance of obligations. The Committee takes note of the Government’s reply. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to indicate to the ILO, in accordance with Article 16(4), the position of its law and practice in relation to statistics on labour costs and any new development in this respect.