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CONFIDENTIAL
C.P. (49) 166
25th July, 1949
CABINET
CONDITIONS OF LABOUR IN NON-METROPOLITAN TERRITORIES
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTIONS ADOPTED AT THE 30TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE, GENEVA, 1947
MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES AND THE MINISTER OF LABOUR AND NATIONAL SERVICE
1. This memorandum contains our recommendations for action by His Majesty's Government in respect of the following five International Labour Conventions adopted at the 30th Session of the International Labour Conference at Geneva in 1947, concerning conditions of labour in non-metropolitan territories:-
Convention No. 82, concerning social policy in non-metropolitan
territories.
Convention No. 83, concerning the application of international labour standards to non-metropolitan territories.
Convention No. 84, concerning the right of association and the settlement of labour disputes in non-metropolitan territories.
Convention No. 85, concerning labour inspectorates in non-metropolitan territories.
Convention No. 86, concerning the maximum length of contracts of employment in non-metropolitan territories.
2. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have always play a leading part in the framing and implementation of International Labour C ventions for the improvement of labour conditions in Colonial territories, and United Kingdom Delegations played a prominent part in the proceedings at t various Sessions of the Conference which eventually led to the adoption of the new Conventions. We propose that His Majesty's Government should ratify all five Conventions and that the ratification should in each case be accompanied by a Declaration of the kind required by the Convention showing:-
(a) The territories in respect of which His Majesty's Government undertake that the provisions of the Convention shall be applied without modification. (b) The territories in respect of which His Majesty's Government undertake that the provisions of the Convention shall be applied subject to modifications, together with details of the said modifications.
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(c) The territories in respect of which the Convention is inapplicable, and in
such cases the grounds on which it is inapplicable.
(d) The territories in respect of which His Majesty's Government reserve
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PageThereoffs 62Appendix I a short historical Page an Intefiational Labour Conventions relating to non-metropolitan territories, together with a brief description of the five Conventions on this subject listed in paragraph 2 above and a summary of the extent to which they can be applied to the Colonial terri- tories: At Appendix II there is a more detailed statement on the application of these Conventions in the different territories under the headings of the Declaration required by each Convention.
4. The constitutional position in many of the territories is such that the practical application of the Conventions lies within the control of the local legis- latures and cannot be directed by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom except by special Act of Parliament. Though much can be done by persuasion, it would be contrary to our Colonial policy to take any steps which would weaken the constitutional position of Colonial Governments for the purpose of securing the introduction of legislation for which the territories concerned are not yet ready. It is considered, moreover, that the proposed action on the five Conventions shows that the Colonial Governments not only recognise the principles on which they are based but are making determined and successful efforts to put them into practice.
5. We recommend that Declarations in accordance with Appendix II should be communicated by His Majesty's Government to the Director-General of the International Labour Office. If these proposals are approved we would propose, in accordance with practice, to make known the Government's intentions by means of a White Paper which would incorporate the whole of Appendix II.
25th July, 1949