News items

June 2013

1. Asia and Pacific: Challenges and opportunities for Unions

   25 June 2013

   At the 102nd Session of the International Labour Conference, Noriyuki Suzuki, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation for Asia and Pacific (ITUC-AP), replies to ACTRAV Info. In this interview, Mr. Suzuki gave his views on Employment and social protection in the new demographic context in the Asia and Pacific, Occupational Safety and Health issue and workers ‘priorities in this region.

2. 

   Hoi An Tourism Information Centre opens, highlighting ILO-UNESCO partnership

   23 June 2013

   A new tourism information centre in Viet Nam’s ancient town of Hoi An was open to tourists on 22 June as a result of the partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ILO).

3. Community-based tourism brings additional income to Quang Nam ethnic groups

   23 June 2013

   Two villages of Co Tu ethnic group in the western mountainous part of Quang Nam Province on 23 June inaugurated their community-based tourism services with the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

4. Surat Thani Province joins with ILO-IPEC Thailand to celebrate the World Day against Child Labour 2013

   12 June 2013

   This first time ever event combining messages on working against child labour and human trafficking took the form of an advocacy event organized at the busy shopping and tourist Walking Street area in Surat Thani City.

5. Shrimp and Seafood Processing Industry took lead in organizing a World Day Against Child Labour 2013 event in Samut Sakhon Province in Thailand on 12 June 2013

   12 June 2013

   The event organized in Talad Talay (Thai Seafood Market) in Samut Sakhon was organized by Thai Frozen Food Association (TFFA) and Thai Food Producers Association (TFPA) the two leading seafood industry organizations dealing with export seafood products in Thailand.

6. ILO and Thai Trade Unions hold workshop on further promoting ratification of ILO C.87 and C.98 and protection of young and migrant workers

   07 June 2013

   The objective of the workshop was to discuss and agree on the action plan to be supported by the ILO during 2013-2014 that takes into consideration the unions’ current campaign strategies and the important role of unions in the protection of migrant workers and elimination of child labour.

May 2013

1. Upper-level coordination helps trade unions return to workers

   17 May 2013

   The active involvement of an upper-level trade union (công đoàn cấp trên cơ sở) in collective bargaining process over wage issues has helped prevent wild-cat strikes and paved the way for better industrial relations at enterprises in the southern industrial province of Binh Duong.

2. ILO Director-General visits India

   16 May 2013

   The Director-General of the International Labour Organization, Mr Guy Ryder, will visit India from 18 to 19 May 2013. This will be Mr Ryder’s first visit to India since he was elected on 1 October 2012.

April 2013

1. Mini-survey on employer perceptions of child labour, forced labour, migrant welfare and CSR in Thailand

   25 April 2013

2. ILO-IPEC releases mini-survey results on employer perceptions and understanding on child labour, forced labour, migrant welfare and CSR in Thailand

   25 April 2013

   The ILO-IPEC conducted together with Employers’ Confederation of Thailand (ECOT) a mini survey on employer perceptions and understanding on child labour, forced labour, migrant welfare and CSR in Thailand in mid-2012 the results of which are now being released through this research snapshot.

3. Good teachers vital to ensure right to education

   24 April 2013

   Good teachers play a big role in getting every child into school and meeting the deadline for the Education for All goals in 1,000 days.

4. Youth, former child labourers trained on entrepreneurship

   23 April 2013

   Young people, mostly former child labourers from Bukidnon will present their business proposals in April to the provincial government and to local financing institutions.

5. New employment pattern offers opportunities but can be a two-edged sword

   22 April 2013

   Viet Nam’s labour market will see some significant changes when the amended Labour Code takes effect in May, recognizing the practice of labour dispatch, where workers are employed by one company and ”dispatched” to work in another company, as a new pattern of employment. Chief Technical Advisor on Industrial Relations of ILO Viet Nam, Yoon Youngmo, analyzes the issue.

6. Island-wide consultations on the Batas Kasambahay (Domestic Workers Law)

   18 April 2013

   Public consultations on the rules and regulations of the Batas Kasambahay (Domestic Workers Law) were held nationwide. According to the Department of Labor and Employment, the Kasambahay Law fulfills the Philippine obligation to enact a national legislation in compliance with ILO Convention 189 Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

March 2013

1. Development of good practices guide on Social protection: Assessment, Costing and Beyond

   28 March 2013

   The ILO and Chulalongkorn University is developing a good practice guide on social protection which will become available later this year.

2. Health insurance system in Cambodia

   28 March 2013

   The ILO is supporting the Ministry of Labour of Cambodia in designing the health insurance branch of the National Social Security Fund. From January to March 2013 a series of missions has been undertaken focussing on the IT system design and the development of a medical classification of the activities of the health care facilities.

3. Long Term care system design in Thailand

   28 March 2013

   The ILO is supporting the design of a Long Term care system in Thailand through cooperation with the French GIP-SPSI (Groupement d'Intérêt Public - Santé Protection Sociale International). A series of missions is scheduled in 2013 for French experts, Thai Government officials and the UN Social Protection Floor team in order to design a long term care system. The first mission which took place from 14 to 25 January had three objectives: (1) conduct a number of consultations and field visits to take stock of what Thailand has already achieved and come up with a situation analysis, (2) establish a sub-working group focused on the design of the long term care system in the framework of the UNPAF on social protection and (3) develop a roadmap for the design of the long term care scheme. The second mission is from 21 March to 29 March and aims to develop the institutional design and the costing model.

4. Thailand’s Shrimp and Seafood Industry: An Overview of Primary Processing in Samut Sakhon Province

   27 March 2013

5. 

   ILO-IPEC Thailand releases a mapping survey snapshot on shrimp and seafood primary processing workpkaces in Samut Sakhon province in Thailand

   27 March 2013

   The ILO-IPEC project “Combating the Worst Forms of Child Labour in Shrimp and Seafood Processing Areas in Thailand” sponsored a research project during the second and third quarter of 2012 to survey primary processing facilities in Samut Sakhon, a province south of Bangkok.

6. It’s time to improve work safety

   15 March 2013

   Viet Nam is lagging behind many other countries, including most of its neighbours, in occupational safety and health, said Vice Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Bui Hong Linh. According to the ministry, 606 workers died in work-related accidents last year in Viet Nam, almost 10 per cent increase against 2011.