GENEVA (ILO News) – The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) will address a range of issues at its 300th session beginning here today, including basic labour rights in Myanmar, Belarus and other countries, trade and employment, UN reform, the impact of climate changes on jobs, development and the Millennium Development Goals.
Agenda items for the meeting scheduled on1-15 November include an examination of the question of forced labour in Myanmar on the basis of reports by the ILO Liaison Officer in Yangon, and follow-up on actions of the government of Belarus to comply with the recommendations of an ILO mission to the country in June 2006.
The Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization will discuss the link between climate change and decent work and the ILO proposal to promote a socially just transition to green jobs (GB.300/WP/SDG/1) */ . It will also consider the follow-up to the joint ILO/WTO Secretariat study on trade and employment published in March 2006, including preparations for a new joint study on the links between globalization, trade and informal employment (GB.300/WP/SDG/2).
Among other issues, the Committee on Social and Employment Policy will examine collective bargaining and the Decent Work Agenda (GB.300/ESP/1), the implementation of the Global Employment Agenda (GB.300/ESP/ 2 and GB.300/ESP/4), the Decent Work Agenda in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (GB.300/ESP/3) and progress in the implementation of the Global Social Trust pilot project (GB.300/ESP/5).
The Subcommittee on Multinational Enterprise will update the Governing Body members on corporate social responsibility related activities worldwide (GB.300/MNE/3) and participation of ILO constituents in the Global Compact local networks (GB.300/MNE/4).
The Committee on Technical Cooperation will review the implementation of the ILO’s Decent Work Country Programmes (GB.300/TC/2) and technical cooperation priorities with respect to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (GB.300/TC/4).
Among other issues, the Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings will review developments in relation to the drafting of an international instrument on ship breaking/ship recycling (GB.300/STM/5).
The Committee on Legal Issues and International Labour Standards will consider a wide range of issues, including a project on economic dynamics of international labour standards (GB.300/LILS/10).
The Governing Body is the executive body of the International Labour Office (the Office is the secretariat of the Organization). It meets three times a year, in March, June and November and takes decisions on ILO policy, the agenda of the International Labour Conference and the draft Programme and Budget of the Organization for submission to the Conference.
It is composed of 56 titular members (28 Governments, 14 Employers and 14 Workers) and 66 deputy members (28 Governments, 19 Employers and 19 Workers). Ten of the titular government seats are permanently held by States of chief industrial importance (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States). The other Government members are elected by the Conference every three years.
* For more information see the new ILO Governing Body website, at: http://www.ilo.org/global/What_we_do/Officialmeetings/gb/lang--en/index.htm