Luc Cortebeeck, Chairperson of the Workers’ Group

President and Vice Presidents of the Conference,
Secretary General,
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me congratulate the President and the three Vice-Presidents for their election. At the beginning of this Conference, I wish to touch on the items on our agenda and some of the Workers’ Group priorities.

The Committee on the Application of Standards has an essential constitutional task to undertake. In too many countries, the realization of decent work and social justice remains jeopardized by violations of labour rights, particularly those enshrined in Conventions 87 and 98. The discussions in this Committee are therefore of crucial importance. They show that ratification has to go hand in hand with the commitment by member states to give effect to Conventions they have voluntarily ratified. I am confident that workers and employers will come up with a short list of cases and that the Committee will adopt consensual conclusions that will help redress rights’ abuses.

We trust that in two weeks the Conference will adopt a Recommendation - in line with existing ILO standards and other relevant international instruments – providing comprehensive guidance on placing decent work and social dialogue at the heart of peace-building initiatives, reconciliation and re-building as well as conflict prevention.

Priorities for our Group include: the coherence of labour approaches with humanitarian, human rights and development responses to crisis; the recognition of the key role of the public sector in crisis-response; the need for the instrument to better reflect the responsibility of business to conduct human rights due diligence to address adverse impacts of their operations and the need for the Recommendation to cover all forcibly displaced persons in addition to refugees.

The Workers’ Group welcomes the discussion on migration. Debates on migration are often characterised by controversy and negative rhetoric. Even where there are evident labour market needs for migrant workers, restrictive migration policies, based more on public misperceptions and xenophobia than actual evidence, create an environment that hinders sound international cooperation on migration governance. For labour migration to work for all, priority must be given to decent work, the protection of migrant workers’ rights, including the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, the application of the principle of equal treatment and non-discrimination and effective access to justice and remedy. ILO conventions on migration provide an essential framework to promote fair migration and their ratification and implementation should be actively pursued.
Increasingly, labour migration is being governed through bilateral and regional agreements processes. These agreements should build on rather than substitute for the adoption and implementation of national laws consistent with relevant international labour and human rights standards.

The Office report rightly addresses the abusive practices that characterize parts of the cross-border recruitment industry. Effective regulation and monitoring of recruiters is necessary to prevent migrant workers from experiencing fraudulent and abusive conditions. The discussion of the Committee offers a unique opportunity to discuss the gaps and challenges that exist in the area of fair recruitment.

The recurrent discussion on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) takes place in a challenging context. The denial of FPRW remains widespread, particularly freedom of association and collective bargaining. 50% of the world population live in countries that have not ratified Convention 87 and/or 98. Responses to the financial crisis have led to reduced coverage of collective bargaining with priority being given to workplace collective bargaining at the expenses of industry and national bargaining.

The discussion should lead to greater commitment by member states to achieve the universal ratification of core conventions with time-bound targets in the lead up to the ILO centenary. The ILO should step up its ratification campaign including by ensuring that decent work country programmes systematically include targets of ratification and implementation. Member states should commit to respect, promote and realize FPRW as part of the implementation of the 2030 Development Agenda. They should also ensure the coordination and coherence of the positions they take at the ILO and in other organizations in order to promote FPRW.

The ILO should take the lead in ensuring policy coherence with organizations of the multilateral system to ensure respect for FPRWs, in line with the mandate provided by the Social Justice Declaration and Philadelphia Declaration. In order to achieve an effective integrated strategy in the promotion of FPRW greater focus should be given to the role of Conventions 87 and 98 as enabling rights. We expect the Committee to also reflect on a better use of the Annual Reviews’ debate in the Governing Body in order to increase ratification rates.

This year the Conference will be called upon to adopt the programme and budget for the next biennium. After the good debate at the March Governing Body I am confident that the programme and budget will be adopted.

Our Group looks forward to the discussion of the DG report on Work in a Changing Climate: The Green Initiative. Let me also thank the Director General for his report on the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories. While the peace process is at a standstill the occupa-tion has expanded, making the living and working conditions of Palestinian extremely difficult. Unemployment has reached record levels with youth and women being the hardest hit. Serious efforts must be exerted to bring occupation to an end, with the establishment of an independ-ent and viable Palestinian State, living side by side with Israel in peace and security and where decent work and social justice can become a reality for Palestinian workers.

I wish you all a fruitful Conference and let us be ambitious in the results we will achieve. I thank you for your attention.