Comment and analysis

2012

1. 

   Article

   Lessons in social dialogue in times of crisis

   09 July 2012

   Agreements between workers, employers and governments can go a long way in speeding up the crisis-recovery process. As various European countries embark in the ever complex task of labour reform, revisiting past experiences with social dialogue could spark some ideas.

2. 

   Article

   Why stress at work matters

   05 July 2012

   A wave of suicides at France Telecom that shocked France four years ago is back in the headlines. The ILO warns of a rise in mental ill-health due to stress at the workplace.

3. 

   Article

   Cooperatives show the way out of the crisis

   04 July 2012

   Cooperatives have been more resilient to the global economic and jobs crisis than other sectors. The UN International Day of Cooperatives, which takes place this year on 7 July, offers a chance for cooperatives to reassert their position in the world economy. ILO News interviews Simel Esim, Chief of the ILO’s Cooperative Branch.

4. 

   Article

   The impact of public sector adjustments in Europe

   28 June 2012

   Fuelled by the economic crisis, budget deficits have plunged the public sector in Europe into an unprecedented wave of ‘adjustments’, leading to significant cuts in expenditure, jobs and wages. Interview with Daniel Vaughan-Whitehead, author of a new ILO study* on Public Sector Adjustments in Europe – Scope, Effects and Policy Issues

5. 

   Article

   The “abused maid”: A good tale for a film, but not for real life

   07 June 2012

   Millions of domestic workers get paid below the minimum wage, and rarely benefit from health insurance, paid leave, or even time off. Has anything changed since the adoption last year of the ILO’s Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers?

6. 

   Article

   Why we need a Recommendation on social protection floors

   04 June 2012

   The International Labour Conference (ILC) is expected to vote on a Recommendation for social protection floors. Michael Cichon, Director of the ILO’s Social Security Department, explains why we need this international labour standard.

7. 

   Article

   Questions and answers on forced labour

   01 June 2012

   New figures published by the ILO estimate the total number of forced labourers across the world at nearly 21 million. This means that three out of every 1,000 people worldwide are in forced labour today. These new figures aim to inform better global policy responses to end the crime of modern forced labour.

8. 

   Article

   What are the challenges behind Russia’s plan to boost job creation?

   21 May 2012

   Russia recently announced an ambitious plan to create 25 million high productivity jobs by 2020. Olga Koulaeva, Employment Specialist at the ILO Moscow office, analyses Russian labour market challenges in an interview with ILO News.

9. 

   Article

   How to beat a crisis: Interview with Argentinean Vice President

   17 May 2012

   In 2001 Argentina defaulted on its debt and ended the parity of its currency with the US dollar. The South American country plunged deeper into crisis, but within months economic growth set in. We asked Argentine Vice President Mr Amado Boudou if Eurozone countries can learn from Argentina how to beat the crisis.

10. Article

    Three steps to curb youth unemployment

    15 May 2012

    The right mix of education and training, promoting entrepreneurship and strengthening employment services is key to tackling the current youth employment crisis in many parts of the world, said Executive Director of the ILO’s Employment Sector, Mr José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs.