CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in reply to its previous comment, the observations communicated on 3 September 2007 by the General Confederation of Workers of Mauritania (CGTM) on the operation of the labour inspection system and the observations made by the Association of Labour Inspectors and Supervisors of Mauritania (AICTM) in April 2007 on the status of labour inspectors and controllers.

1. Articles 1, 3, 10 and 11 of the Convention. Labour inspection system.  Human and material resources of the inspection system. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that the inadequacy of the human and financial resources of the labour inspectorate constituted a major obstacle to the discharge of its functions. It notes the statement by the CGTM in the observations provided to the Office in September 2007 that the limited geographical coverage of the labour inspection system gives rise to difficulties in examining the cases of workers, who are often far from inspection offices. The CGTM emphasizes in this respect the inadequacy of the transport and communication facilities made available to inspectors and supervisors, but indicates that, despite this regrettable material situation, those labour inspectors who are in place play a significant role in the settlement of labour disputes.

The Committee notes with interest the announcement by the Government of the recruitment of ten labour inspectors and ten labour controllers, who will be trained at the National School of Administration (ENA) and abroad, and of the purchase of vehicles and office equipment. It hopes that the increase in staff numbers and the improvement in the material working conditions of inspection staff will make it possible to reinforce the effectiveness of their prevention and supervision activities, particularly by extending their geographical coverage, and that these efforts will be supported by the mobilization and allocation of resources in the context of technical cooperation projects and international financing.

2. Article 6. Status of labour inspectors and controllers. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes with interest the adoption, following several years of preparation, of Decree No. 021/2007/PM of 15 January 2007 issuing the specific conditions of service of the labour administration, which establishes the status of labour inspectors and supervisors. This text contains provisions on grades, promotion procedures and training requirements, and establishes the conditions and procedures for recruitment and the functions and responsibilities of each category of the inspection staff (principal inspector, inspector, principal controller and controller). According to the AICTM, no specific allowance has been established by these conditions of service, whereas all the other administrative bodies benefited from an allowance under a decree adopted in 2007. Noting that the allowances and bonuses which had been envisaged in the draft decree do not appear in the adopted text and that the Government indicates in its report that it will endeavour to envisage allowances for this body of officials so as to ensure their independence and impartiality, the Committee trusts that the Government will adopt measures in this respect in the near future.

3. Article 7, paragraph 3. Training of inspectors. The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government in reply to its requests concerning the courses and seminars followed recently by a number of inspectors and controllers at the African Regional Centre for Labour Administration (CRADAT) in Yaoundé and the ILO Training Centre in Turin. It also notes that under section 14 of Decree No. 021/2007/PM, inspectors and controllers are under the obligation to follow training and further training sessions in the context of a training plan established by the competent ministry. While taking due note of these provisions, the Committee hopes that the Government will be able to continue its efforts to ensure the training and further training of inspection staff and requests it to provide information on the preparation of the envisaged training plan and on the subjects covered.

4. Articles 20 and 21. Annual report on the work of the inspection services. In reply to the Committee’s previous comment, the Government indicates that it has not been possible, due to lack of resources, to produce an annual report on the work of the inspection services in recent years, but emphasizes that the central administration has always endeavoured to provide a summary report of their activities. The Committee requests the Government to provide with its next report the summary reports available for 2005, 2006 or 2007. It once again hopes that the Government will rapidly take measures to establish the conditions in which the central labour inspection authority can collect data on the activities of the services under its control with a view to the publication of an annual report on the work of the inspection system, particularly with the technical assistance of the ILO in the context of the project for the modernization of labour administration and inspection.

5. Labour inspection and child labour. According to the Government, the results of the study on child labour conducted with the cooperation of UNICEF, to which the Committee referred in its previous observation, are currently being validated. The conclusions of the study show that labour inspectors have not been made aware of the issue of child labour and lack the means to combat child labour. The Committee notes that the Government has requested ILO technical assistance (the OIT/IPEC programme) in this field. Emphasizing the importance of the role of labour inspectors in protecting the safety, health and well-being of children, the Committee trusts that the Government will take the necessary measures to ensure that labour inspectors and controllers are provided with the necessary training, powers and resources to take effective action in this respect.

The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government on other matters.