Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Article 5 of the Convention. Compensatory periods of rest. The Committee notes with regret that, in its report, the Government does not reply to its previous comments and confines itself to indicating that the Labour Code does not provide for compensatory periods of rest when the suspensions or diminutions in weekly rest are granted in virtue of Article 4 of the Convention. In its 2004 report, the Government indicates that such periods of rest were provided for in agreements and local customs as allowed in Article 5 of the Convention. Despite the Committee’s request, the Government has supplied no information on these agreements and local customs. The Committee is bound to request the Government once again to supply such information. In this respect, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to the importance of compensatory rest periods since, as it emphasized in its 1964 General Survey on weekly rest (paragraph 197), "it is obvious that abnormal work on the weekly rest day, even if it lasts only a short while, disturbs the workers’ family and social life".

Article 7. Posting of notices and keeping of rosters. The Committee notes that the Government’s report does not reply either on this matter to its previous comments and indicates only that there are no legislative provisions giving effect to this Article of the Convention. In its previous report, the Government stated that agreements respecting the arrangements and distribution of working hours concluded in an enterprise or establishment were brought to the knowledge of the workers by posting of notices. The Committee once again asks the Government to supply copies of such agreements and examples of notices and rosters by which the staff is informed of weekly rest days and times.

The Committee is also addressing a request on certain other points directly to the Government.