The Regional Labour Inspectorate (IRT), complying with goal of combating precarious undeclared or irregular labour in the Region, has been conducting inspections in several sectors of activity, with special emphasis on restaurants. 
 
Under the scope of the operational goals defined by IRT for all islands of the Azores, the inspection actions covered more than a hundred establishment on São Miguel Island during the month of May. They identified 45 people who were working without being registered in the Social Security, without insurance against accidents at work, without controlled working hours and without any record in the company. 
 
Situations that are still pending resolution and that are not solved voluntarily will be referred to court, in addition to the application of fines. 
 
In the first five months of the year, the inspection actions detected 321 irregular workers: 171 unregistered workers, 100 workers with irregular fixed-term contracts and 20 workers in precarious labour situation. 
 
According to IRT records, restaurants and construction are the sectors that continue to resort to illegal strategies for hiring workers. They harm the regular functioning of the labour market and give rise to situations of injustice among compliant companies. 
 
In this context, the IRT has already an urgent meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada in order to call attention for several harmful practices not only for workers, but also for the fair competition among companies. 
 
Endowed with technical autonomy, the Regional Labour Inspectorate has the mission of promoting the improvement of working conditions, through the provision of advice and monitoring of compliance with labour rules and relations under the terms of the legal provision on health and safety at work.