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The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 2000.

1. Article 1 of the Convention. According to the information contained in the Joint Assessment of Employment Priorities in Poland, prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the European Commission, unemployment was 10 per cent in the second quarter of 1998, but rose to 15 per cent as of December 2000. Unemployment among young people was almost 38 per cent in 2000, compared with the total average of 14 per cent. Unemployment is higher among women than men (18.5 per cent vs. 15.2 per cent in 2000). Unemployment varies by region, with the highest rates in voivodies with a history of state-owned farming. Long-term unemployment makes up about one-third of total unemployment. And unemployment is highest among people with only a primary education.

2. The Government states that its employment policy objectives include: emphasizing an active policy to support full, productive and freely chosen employment; improving labour office activity; and increasing the effectiveness of measures to decrease unemployment. The Government follows the European Union guidelines on employment, which focus on human resources development, promoting job growth, and ensuring non-discrimination. Priorities for the Plan for 2000-2001 include decreasing labour costs, reforming the tax system, phasing out early retirement, promoting alternative jobs, and allowing a lower minimum wage for first-time jobseekers. The Government is also strengthening employment services through emphasizing quality of service, standardizing staff qualifications, creating a uniform information system, and reforming unemployment benefits. The Government also mentions that it has developed a National Strategy for Employment Development 2000-2006, a Direction of Government Activities towards Small and Medium Enterprises to the year 2002; and a Mid-term Strategy for Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas. In addition it has implemented a system of task contracts between the National Labour Office and the voivodies, where funding will be conditioned on the voivodies achieving precisely defined results. The Committee notes these policies and programmes, and would appreciate receiving further details as they are implemented, including their impact on employment promotion.

3. The Committee would also appreciate receiving further information on the Strategy for Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas; employment promotion programmes for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups; the specific content of active labour market policies; and the coordination of training with prospective employment opportunities.

4. Article 2. The Committee notes that the Government’s report does not contain any evaluation of the outcome of its employment policies and programmes. Please supply information on the measures taken to keep employment promotion policies and programmes under review within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy.

5. Article 3. The Government states that it consults with the social partners on a wide range of issues through the Tripartite Commission for Socio-Economic Issues and the Supreme Employment Council. The Committee notes that the Government’s report lists a range of topics discussed, but does not indicate the outcomes of these discussions. Please continue to supply information on the manner in which representatives of the persons affected (representatives of employers and workers in the formal and informal economy and in rural areas) are consulted concerning employment policies.

6. The Committee notes the information sent by the Board of the West Pomerania Region of the Polish Trade Union of Nurses and Midwives and the Board of the Medical Analytics Technicians Trade Union. The Boards state that in their view the existence of 2.5 million people without jobs demonstrates that the Government does not have an effective employment policy; the Government’s medical health care reforms are decreasing employment; and the Government’s social and economic policies are inconsistent. In reply, the Government states that the regional restructuring programme is approved by the voivodies. Workers are represented at the local levels, on the Regional Steering Committee which approves regional restructuring programmes, and on the National Steering Committee which evaluates the programmes and allocates funding. The programmes include severance packages and loans to workers moving to the private sector. The Committee would appreciate continuing to receive information on the impact of the restructuring on employment and measures taken by the Government to promote employment of the workers affected.