Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144) - Slovakia (Ratification: 1997)

1. Article 2 of the Convention. Strengthening tripartism and social dialogue. In relation to the 2005 observation, the Committee notes the Government’s report received in January 2007, and the texts of the Tripartite Act (Act No. 103/2007 of 9 February 2007) and of the Standing Orders of the Economic and Social Council of the Slovak Republic forwarded by the Government in April 2007. The Committee also notes the observations of the National Union of Employers (RUZ) received in June 2007, on the failure of the Government to properly consult with its social partners while amending the sectoral bargaining mechanism and the Government’s reply received in September 2007. The Committee notes that the new established Economic and Social Council aims to promote social dialogue as a democratic means to achieve economic and social development, employment creation and securing social peace. The Committee hopes that the Economic and Social Council will promote and reinforce tripartism and social dialogue in the country and that the Government will also specify in its next report how the Economic and Social Council has been involved in the consultations required by the Convention. In this respect, the Committee recalls that the consultative procedures must be effective, that is, they must provide employers’ and workers’ organizations with an opportunity to express their views usefully on all the matters covered by the Convention.

2. Article 5, paragraph 1. Tripartite consultations required by the Convention. The Committee notes that the denunciation of Convention No. 34 was registered on 25 July 2007. It further notes that the Government indicates that the proposals of the Confederation of Trade Unions of the Slovak Republic (KOZ SR) to ratify Conventions Nos 135, 150, 151, 154, 158 and 181 will be reconsidered in relation to the national legislation of the Slovak Republic. The Committee asks the Government to include in its next report detailed information on the content and outcome of the tripartite consultations held on each of the matters covered by Article 5, paragraph 1, of the Convention and in particular on the perspectives of ratifying the abovementioned Conventions  (Article 5, paragraph 1(c)).