GENEVA (ILO News) – The 96th annual conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) concluded its 15-day run here today after adopting a comprehensive new set of labour standards for the fishing industry and holding extensive discussions on new approaches to promoting sustainable enterprises and decent work.
The International Labour Conference, the annual gathering of more than 3,000 delegates representing governments, and workers and employers from the ILO’s 180 member States, also launched a new partnership aimed at eliminating child labour in agriculture and considered a number of issues regarding adherence to international labour standards.
In a wide-ranging analysis of the role of Decent Work in promoting sustainable development, ILO Director-General Juan Somavia called for the strengthening of the ILO’s capacity on a number of fronts. He urged delegates to consider a new “Green Jobs Initiative” to support sustainable development and called for new approaches to dealing with trade and employment, labour market analysis and the reduction of “global decent work deficits”.
“This Conference has reconfirmed the great demand for decent work in all regions. We conclude with a message that is tuned for the times: Decent work lies at the heart of sustainable development”, Mr. Somavia said. “We have heard from leaders from every corner of the globe who have underscored the priority of making the global goal of decent work a local reality.”
The Conference hosted seven eminent guest speakers, including H.E. Ms. Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile, H.E. Mr. John Kufuor, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the African Union, His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica, H.E. Mr. Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal, His Royal Highness Felipe de Borbón, Prince of Asturias, and H.E. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
The Conference was presided over by Mr. Kastriot Sulka, Deputy Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of Albania. Conference Vice-Presidents were H.E. Mr. Carlos Antonio da Rocha Paranhos (Governments) from Brazil, Mr. Michel Barde (Employers) from Switzerland and Mr. Marc Blondel (Workers) from France.
Delegates gave overwhelming support to new standards designed to improve the conditions of millions of men and women working in the fishing sector. The new standards contain provisions designed to ensure that workers in the fishing sector have improved occupational safety and health and medical care at sea; that sick or injured fishers receive care ashore; receive sufficient rest for their health and safety; have the protection of a work agreement; and have the same social security protection as other workers.
The Convention, to be known as The Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 and the Recommendation will come into effect when they are ratified by 10 (including eight coastal nations) of the ILO’s 180 member States (for further details see ILO press release ILO/07/37).
The Conference also adopted a programme and budget for the 2008-09 biennium of US$ 641.7 million. The budget level is at the same level as that recommended by the Governing Body and represents no change in real terms for the next biennium.
The Conference also examined proposals to strengthen the governance of the ILO and its capacity to service constituents. In this regard, it called for the possible consideration at next year’s International Labour Conference of an authoritative document, which could take the form of a Declaration or other suitable instrument.
In a ceremony today here in the plenary, the ILO awarded its first annual Decent Work Research Prize to Nobel peace laureate and former South African President Nelson Mandela and to the eminent academic and specialist in social security, Professor Carmelo Mesa-Lago, Professor Emeritus on Economics and Latin American Studies of the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (for further details see ILO press release ILO/07/38).
Sustainable enterprises
In its conclusions, the Conference Committee on Sustainable Enterprises said that sustainable enterprises are a principal source of growth, wealth creation, employment and decent work. To realize these gains, a conducive environment for sustainable enterprises is essential, including peace and political stability, good governance and the rule of law, social dialogue, respect for universal human rights and international labour standards, entrepreneurial culture, sound economic policies, fair competition and access to financial services, physical and technological infrastructure, education and training, and environmental sustainability, the Committee says.
At the level of the enterprise a number of practices are important, including social protection, social dialogue and good industrial relations, sound human resource development practices, conditions of work, productivity, wages and shared benefits, corporate social responsibility, and corporate governance.
International labour standards
The Committee on the Application of Standards again held a special sitting on the application by Myanmar of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), following up measures taken in the context of Article 33 of the ILO Constitution.
The Committee expressed its profound concern at the forced labour situation in Myanmar, as reflected in the observation of the Committee of Experts. It concluded that none of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry had yet been implemented, and the imposition of forced labour continued to be widespread, particularly by the army to which specific instructions should be issued. The Committee urged the Government to implement all the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry.
The Committee took due note of the fact that the complaint mechanism on forced labour continued to function, and that the authorities were investigating the cases referred to them by the Liaison Officer and taking action against those officials found to have illegally imposed forced labour. It was observed, however, that in a number of cases the action taken had been limited to administrative measures rather than the required criminal penalties.
The Committee underlined the need for the Liaison Officer to have sufficient staff resources available to him as provided for in the Supplementary Understanding signed with Myanmar in February 2007. It noted with concern that the Government had not yet agreed to the appointment of an international staff member to assist the Liaison Officer, even though the workload continued to increase, and urged that the necessary cooperation and facilities be given without delay.
In addition to this special sitting, the Committee carried out the examination of 25 other individual cases covering the whole range of concerns addressed in ILO standards.
Noting the lack of progress with respect to freedom of association in Belarus, the Committee expressed in a special paragraph its concern about the situation in the country. The Committee recalled the imperative need for the Government to act without delay to ensure that all workers and employers organizations could function freely and without interference and obtain registration without previous authorization.
The Committee also noted the concerns raised relating to the draft Trade Union Law. In this respect, the Committee urged the Government to vigorously pursue its consultations with all social partners in the country, and its cooperation with the ILO, with a view to making the legislative changes required to bring the law and practice into full conformity with the Convention and the Commission of Inquiry recommendations.
Welcoming the Government’s statement that it would continue to cooperate with the national social partners and that it had invited a high-level ILO mission immediately following the Conference, the Committee expressed the firm hope that significant progress in ensuring full respect for freedom of association would be made without any further delay. In order to appropriately monitor developments in this regard, the Committee recommended that the Governing Body reconsider this matter in November 2007.
The General Survey discussed by the Conference Committee this year was on forced labour. The Committee noted with satisfaction numerous cases of progress in various countries of the world although the problem of forced and compulsory labour, including in many new and contemporary forms, continues to exist in a number of countries and many people around the world are still subjected to it.
The annual Conference of the ILO drew more than 3,000 delegates, including heads of State, labour ministers and leaders of workers' and employers' organizations from most of the ILO's 180 member States. Each member State has the right to send four delegates to the Conference: two from government and one each representing workers and employers, each of whom may speak and vote independently.
The role of the International Labour Conference is to adopt and oversee compliance with international labour standards, establish the budget of the Organization and elect members of the Governing Body. Since 1919, the Conference has served as a major international forum for debate on social and labour questions of worldwide importance.