Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - Madagascar (Ratification: 1971)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous comments.

Repetition

The Committee takes note of the comments made by the Autonomous Trade Union of Labour Inspectors (SAIT) in a communication dated 26 August 2011. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.

The Committee notes with regret that the Government has not replied to the Committee’s previous comments, merely reiterating the content of its reply to the observation under the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81). It acknowledges however that the application of the Convention is encountering difficulties and attributes these to the lack of specific training on labour inspection in agriculture in the training programme for labour inspectors at the National School of Administration (ENAM). The Committee refers in this respect to the Government’s report sent to the ILO in 2009, in which it stated its intention to include a course specialized in this area in the training programme of this school. The Government had added that contacts had been made with those responsible in the ministry concerned but that work had been suspended because of the country’s political crisis. The Committee notes once again the Government’s good intention to ensure respect for the provisions of the Convention, accompanied by a request for assistance from the Office for this purpose.

The Committee therefore invites the Government to formalize its request for technical assistance by providing the Office with all the relevant information at its disposal concerning the actual situation of labour inspection in agricultural enterprises, its resources, structure, logistical means, and available transport means and facilities. The Committee also asks the Government to provide information on the number of inspectors assigned to duties in the agricultural enterprises and on the nature of these duties, on the capacities of the labour inspectorate to establish, in collaboration with other competent public administration bodies, a national register or local registers of agricultural enterprises, including free zone enterprises. Finally, the Government is asked to send the most recent available data on the number and geographical distribution of agricultural enterprises, as well as on the number of workers engaged in these enterprises.

Referring to the comment of the SAIT in which it indicates that it is fully prepared to assume its share of responsibility in efforts to attain the Decent Work Agenda, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the measures taken to begin, with the support of the social partners, the necessary procedures for gradually establishing a labour inspection system in agriculture.

The Committee finally asks the Government to provide information on the steps taken with the Ministry responsible for ENAM to introduce a training module on labour inspection in agricultural enterprises in the training programmes for student-inspectors.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.