East Asian Industrial Relations Network National Experts Workshop

Aims and expected outcomes of the meeting

This National Expert Workshop was a part of an on-going ILO/Japan Multi-bilateral project on Creating an East Asian Industrial Relations (IR) Net. This project aimed at creating a powerful tool for mutual learning and sharing of unique industrial relations experiences among countries in East Asia (ASEAN plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea). Through the development of a website where key information on and analysis of IR developments in East Asian countries would be uploaded and updated on a regular basis, the East Asian IR Net promotes knowledge sharing and provides easy access to the information for all IR actors and policy makers in the region.

This workshop provided an invaluable opportunity to the national experts who participated in consolidating the national IR reports to share their experiences and innovations of industrial relations and discussed the improved methods of communication and coordination required for the gradual expansion of the East Asian IR Net in the near future.

Objectives of the Workshop

• To enhance common vision of building the East Asian IR Net in East Asia.
• To have a better understanding of each participating countries’ IR situation.
• To identify problems with the current working methods of the East Asian IR Net.
• To improve coordination and cooperation between national experts and the ILO project team
• To work out a future strategy for sustainable development of the East Asian IR Net.

Expected Outcomes of the Workshop

There would be a number of tangible and intangible outcomes of the Workshop. Tangible outcomes included: 1) improvement of the common research templates for future joint research; 2) development of operational guidelines for cooperation, which will improve future coordination of the preparation of the national reports and feature articles; and 3) improved the participants’ skills in using the Content Management System to enable more efficient interaction and communication via the Internet. Intangible outcomes will include: 1) enhanced vision of building the East Asian IR Net; and 2) better understanding of the IR situation among the participants.