A.—7

Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of a Recommendation, adopts, this twelfth day of May, of the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-four, the following Recommendation which may be cited as the Employment (Transition from War to Peace) Recommendation, 1944 :— Whereas the promotion of full employment with a view to satisfying the vital needs of the population and raising the standard of living throughout the world is a primary objective of the International Labour Organization; Whereas in order to achieve full employment economic measures providing employment opportunities must be supplemented by effective organization to help employers to secure the most suitable workers, to help workers to find the most suitable employment, and generally to ensure that, at any given moment, the necessary skills are available and are distributed satisfactorily among the various branches of production and the various areas ; and Whereas the character and magnitude of the employment adjustments required during the transition from war to peace will necessitate special action, more particularly for the purpose of facilitating the re-employment of demobilized members of the armed forces, discharged war workers, and all persons whose usual employment has been interrupted as a result of the war, enemy action, or resistance to the enemy or enemy-dominated authorities, by assisting the persons concerned to find without delay the most suitable employment; The Conference recommends the Members of the Organization to apply the following general principles, and in so doing to take into account, according to national conditions, the suggested methods of application, and to communicate information to the International Labour Office, as requested by the Governing Body, concerning the measures taken to give effect to these principles. GENERAL PRINCIPLES I. Each Government should collect whatever information is necessary regarding workers seeking or likely to be seeking employment and regarding prospective employment opportunities, with a view to ensuring the most rapid reabsorption or redistribution in suitable employment of all persons who desire to work. 11. The demobilization of the armed forces and of assimilated services and the repatriation ol: prisoners of war, persons who have been deported, and others, should be planned with the objective of maximum fairness to individuals and maximum opportunities for satisfactory re-establishment in civil life. 111. National programmes for industrial demobilization and reconversion should be planned, 111 co-operation with employers' and workers' organizations, and other adequate measures taken, in such manner as to facilitate the most rapid attainment of full employment for the production of needed goods and services. IV. In the organization of full employment in the transition period and thereafter, the widest possible use of employment service facilities by employers seeking workers and by workers seeking employment should be encouraged by the competent authorities and by employers' and workers' organizations. V. Each Government should, to the maximum extent provide public vocational guidance facilities, available to persons seeking work, with a view to assisting them to find the most suitable employment. ... VI. Training and retraining programmes should be developed to the fullest possible extent in order to meet the needs of the workers who will have to be re-established in employment or provided with new employment. VII. With a view to avoiding the need for excessive movements of workers from one area to another and preventing localized unemployment in particular areas, each Government should, in co-operation with employers' and workers' organizations, formulate a positive policy in regard to the location of industry and the diversification of economic activity. Governments should also take steps to facilitate any necessary mobility of labour, both occupational and geographical. VIII. Efforts should be made during the transition period to provide the widest possible opportunities for acquiring skill for juveniles and young workers who were unable, because of the war, to undertake or to complete their training and efforts should also be made to improve the education and health supervision of young persons. IX. The redistribution of women workers in each national economy should be carried out 011 th.e principle of complete equality of opportunity for men and women in respect of admission to employment on the basis of their individual merit, skill and experience, and steps should bo taken to encourage the establishment of wage rates on the basis of job content, without regard to sex. X. Disabled workers, whatever the origin of their disability, should be provided with full opportunities for rehabilitation, specialized vocational guidance, training and retraining, and employment on useful work. XI. Measures should be taken to regularize employment within the industries and occupations in which work is irregular, in order to achieve full use of the capacities of the workers. METHODS OF APPLICATION L Advance Collection of Information 1. Each Government should arrange for the co-ordinated collection and utilization of as complete and up-to-date information as possible 011 • (a) The number, educational and occupational backgrounds,, past and present skills, and occupational wishes of members of the armed forces and of assimilated services, and as far as possible of all persons whose usual employment has been interrupted as the result of enemy action or resistance to the enemy or enemy-dominated authorities ;

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