Subregional seminar on “Informal Economy: trade union policies and actions”

On 13-14 June Baku, Azerbaijan, hosted the ILO seminar entitled “Informal Economy: Policies and actions of trade unions" and devoted to the ILO Recommendation No 204.

News | 14 June 2016
The event brought together more than 30 trade union leaders from 14 countries of South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia.

They discussed policies and actions of trade unions in the promotion and implementation of the ILO Recommendation No. 204 on the transition from the informal to the formal economy. Taking part in the seminar were experts of the ILO Bureau for Workers Activities (ACTRAV), ILO Employment Policy Department, ILO Decent Work Technical Support Teams and Country Offices from Moscow and Budapest; as well as representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). The event was held under the approved plan of joint activities by ACTRAV and trade unions in the region.

Frédéric Lapeyre, Head of the Informal Economy Unit of the Employment Policy Department (ILO Geneva), presented the content and ways of implementation of the ILO Recommendation No. 204.

Wolfgang Lutterbach, Head of the European Desk of ACTRAV, spoke about ACTRAV’s vision and position with regard to the informal economy.

Sergeyus Glovackas, Senior Specialist in Workers’ Activities, ILO DWT/CO Moscow, noted recent trends related to the increase of trade union membership in the Central Asia and the Caucasus, mainly due to the increased number of the informally employed, many of whom are now covered by collective agreements. Sergeyus Glovackas presented for discussion the draft ACTRAV Manual for trade unions on the informal economy.

Many speakers expressed their concern with the fact that the share of informal workers remains very high and is still growing, as a result of the new wave of the economic crisis and political instability in the region. One of the sources of informal employment are informally employed refugees from armed conflict zones. In some countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia, informal workers account for more than 70% of the workforce. The ILO Bureau on Workers’ Activities has consistently worked with the regional unions on this issue.

The participants shared their experience and best practices of protecting and representing interests of informal workers. They also developed action plans at the national level, as well as recommendations on the cooperation between the ILO and the ITUC.