CMNT_TITLE

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Cyprus (RATIFICATION: 1960)

Other comments on C081

Observation

Direct Request

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With reference to its observation, the Committee wishes to raise the following additional points.

Articles 3(1)(a), 12 and 16 of the Convention. Activities of the labour inspectorate in response to complaints received from workers. The Committee notes from the 2009 annual report of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance that the labour inspectorate responsible for labour relations received 3,208 complaints in 2009 and that every possible effort was being made to settle these complaints given the difficulties which emerged during their examination. The Committee requests the Government to specify the process of handling complaints received at the labour inspectorate and, in particular, to indicate whether they trigger unannounced inspection visits and to provide relevant statistical information (numbers of complaints received, visits carried out, findings on violations, legal provisions concerned, judicial proceedings and outcomes, etc.).

Articles 3(1) and 17. Activities of the labour inspectorate in the area of non-discrimination. With reference to its comments under the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), the Committee notes that, according to the Government, the role of labour inspectors in the area of equality between men and women is that of mediator and investigator of complaints relating to sex discrimination, with their powers being considerably wide. If it becomes evident that a complaint has a valid basis, the inspector will proceed with his/her role as mediator to reach an agreement between the parties in order to remedy the wrongdoing. If an agreement is not reached, a report is drafted by the inspector with the position of each party, which can be used in a court of law. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would specify whether the purpose of mediation by the labour inspectorate is to secure the enforcement of the applicable legal provisions or to facilitate a settlement between the parties, and would transmit to the Office copies of agreements reached pursuant to mediation as well as judicial decisions handed down on this subject. It also requests the Government to provide statistical information on the programmed and complaints-driven visits and to describe any awareness-raising activities carried out in this area by the labour inspectorate and their impact.

Article 9. Association of duly qualified technical experts in the work of the labour inspectorate in the area of occupational safety and health. The Committee notes from the 2009 annual report that 86 security officers have been appointed by the Ministry of Labour pursuant to the provisions of labour legislation according to which security officers should be in charge of occupational safety and health issues in enterprises employing more than 200 employees. The Committee requests the Government to specify the status of security officers (e.g., public or private employees), the manner in which they cooperate with the labour inspectorate responsible for occupational safety and health and the modalities of their supervision.

Article 20. Publication and transmission of an annual report of the work of the labour inspection services. The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government in reply to its general observation of 2009 concerning the development of a registry of workplaces in cooperation with the statistical service and the Department of Registrar of Companies. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to improve this registry and to specify whether it also contains information on the number of workers occupied in the registered workplaces.