Plenary sittings of the 104th Session of the International Labour Conference (2015)

The plenary sits in the Assembly Hall of the Palais des Nations. The Conference opens and closes in plenary sitting; during intermediate plenary sittings, all delegates may participate in the discussion of the Reports of the Chairperson of the Governing Body and of the Director - General. The plenary also performs administrative and formal tasks for the Conference and may hold sittings to receive distinguished guests, including Heads of State or Government. The World of Work Summit, during which such guests will address the Conference, will be held in plenary sittings on the morning and afternoon of Thursday, 11 June.

Delegates speeches in Plenary

Discussion of the Reports of the Chairperson of the Governing Body and of the ILO Director-General

Regular plenary working hours are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Assembly Hall - Palais des Nations

Access to the speeches

World of Work Summit


Thursday, 11 June, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Assembly Hall (Palais des Nations)

High-level Panel on “Climate Change and the World of Work”(10:00-12:00)

The plenary sitting will be opened by the President of the Conference, followed by introductory remarks from the ILO Director-General.
The Panel will be composed of the following members and be moderated by Ms Linda Yueh from the BBC:
  • Mr Luis Eduardo Garzón, Labour Minister, Colombia
  • Mr Mansour Sy, Minister of Labour, Social Dialogue, Professional Organizations and Relations with Institutions, Senegal
  • Mr François Rebsamen, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue, France
  • Ms Linda Kromjong, Secretary-General, International Organisation of Employers (IOE)
  • Ms Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
The World of Work Summit provides a unique opportunity to participate in a stimulating, open, and interactive panel discussion. The focus of this year’s panel is on the implications of climate change for workers, enterprises and communities. Ahead of the crucial negotiations that aim to reach agreement to address global climate change later in 2015 in Paris, the objective of the panel is to initiate a far-reaching reflection on what the world of work can do to help build resilience and create solutions in pursuit of social justice, productive employment and sustainable enterprises, ensuring a just transition for all; and what policies can best anticipate and address the problems and challenges that the world of work will face.
The exchange will be based firstly on three series of questions which will follow the three angles presented below. The fourth series of questions will be of a more general nature giving also the opportunity to the Panel members to make some concluding remarks.

I. Impact

  • How is climate change impacting on jobs, enterprises and livelihoods today?
  • How does this differ among countries, within them and between women and men?
  • What effect is this having on exclusion in the labour market and inequalities? Does it pose a threat to social justice?

II. Responses

  • What can Governments do to adapt to the effects of climate change, and to prevent the situation from getting worse?
  • In particular, how can employment and labour market policies, public employment schemes and social protection measures become effective tools to build climate resilience in the world of work and protect the poor?
  • What can local and global enterprises do to improve resource efficiency, reduce emissions and eliminate waste, and what role can be played by employers’ and workers’ organizations?

III. Dialogue

  • What can employers’ and workers’ organizations do together at national, sector and firm levels to promote resilient, sustainable business strategies with decent work?
  • What contributions can the International Labour Organization make to shaping a global agreement and creating national solutions that advance the Sustainable Development Goals?

World of Work Summit Special Sittings

  1. The 104th Session of the International Conference is honoured to receive the following dignitaries, who will address the Conference in three special sittings

  2. Mr Kailash Satyarthi

    Nobel Peace Laureate warns climate change is fueling child trafficking

    Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2014 and President of the Global March Against Child Labour, Kailash Satyarthi, calls for immediate action on climate change and a child-friendly approach to disaster management.

  3. H.E. Mr François Hollande

    President Hollande calls for tripartite mobilization on climate change

    Guest of honor of the 104th Session of the International Labour Conference, French President François Hollande advocated for universal mobilization to fight climate change and better ensure application of international labor law.

  4. S.E. M. Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez

    President of Panama: Growth and welfare should go hand in hand

    President Juan Carlos Varela said that Panama wanted to be a protagonist in shaping a green economy of the future which should also be an inclusive economy.