News

June 2003

1. ILO Director-General calls for immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi from detention in Myanmar

   09 June 2003

   The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO) today called on the government of Myanmar to take "immediate measures" to release Aung San Suu Kyi and those of her supporters who have reportedly been detained by the authorities in that country recently.

2. EU accession labour ministers to discuss pension reform issues

   09 June 2003

   Labour ministers of the 13 European Union (EU) accession countries - 10 of which are expected to become members of the EU on 1 May 2004 - are to meet during the ILO's annual International Labour Conference here to discuss pension reforms in their respective states.

3. 

   Working out of Poverty: Somavia presents new anti-poverty proposals to ILO annual conference

   06 June 2003

   Global efforts aimed at cutting poverty in half by 2015 will fail unless new ways are found to create opportunities for the world's poor to work for a decent living, says Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO).

4. ILO Conference opens talks on new seafarer identity cards: Initiative receives new impetus from G8

   05 June 2003

   The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched negotiations on a new, more rigorous identity regime for seafarers with the aim of developing effective protection against terrorism, while at the same time ensuring the rights and freedoms of the world's 1.2 million maritime workers.

5. Vanuatu becomes 176th ILO member State

   04 June 2003

   The Pacific Ocean island State of Vanuatu became the 176th member of the International Labour Organization following receipt in Geneva of a letter from Mr Joe Natuman, MP, Minister for Internal Affairs, stating, on behalf of the Government, that Vanuatu formally accepts the obligations of the Constitution of the ILO.

6. International Labour Conference opens

   03 June 2003

   The 91 st Session of the International Labour Conference opened today, electing as its president, the Hon. Michael Christopher Wamalwa, Vice-President and Labour Minister of Kenya.

7. H.E. Mr. Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil addresses ILO

   02 June 2003

   In his first address to a United Nations organization since becoming President of Brazil, Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva told the International Labour Organization (ILO) today the industrialized countries were failing to reconcile "words and deeds", and that "the war against hunger and poverty is the only one we are interested in".

May 2003

1. Conference Preview 91st International Labour Conference opens on 3 June

   30 May 2003

   The 91st International Labour Conference, which gets underway in Geneva on Tuesday, 3 June, is to consider a host of issues ranging from a new plan for fighting poverty worldwide, to enhancing safety and security in the workplace and eliminating discrimination.

2. ILO, Myanmar agree on facilitator to help end forced labour

   14 May 2003

   The Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Juan Somavia, today welcomed a formal understanding negotiated between the ILO and the Union of Myanmar for the establishment of a facilitator to assist possible victims of forced labour in Myanmar.

3. ILO sees further tourism job losses due to travel woes

   14 May 2003

   Reduced travel due to new concerns over the disease SARS, combined with the ongoing economic downturn, may cut another 5 million jobs in the battered world tourism sector this year, bringing to 11.5 million the total number of jobs lost in the sector since late 2001, according to a new analysis (see note 1) by the International Labour Office (ILO).