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Mainpage General Synthesis of the Symposium Agenda Opening speech by Mr. Collomb Speech by Mr. Somavia Introduction by Peter Auer and Bernard Gazier Lyon Conference Papers List of Participants

The idea of holding a series of symposia on the subject of "the future of work" emerged from a meeting between the French Minister of Employment and Solidarity and the Director-General of the ILO, and was subsequently incorporated into the framework for collaboration between France and the ILO. The aim is not only to provoke a high-quality international dialogue on changes in work and employment and their impact on social protection and worker security in the industrialized countries, but also to stimulate exchanges between the academic and political communities and the social partners. The present symposium is the second in the series.

The first meeting in January 2001 provided an overview of current changes and considered possible responses. Notwithstanding differences in analysis and approach, a consensus was reached on the need to ensure integration and social cohesion by providing everyone with access to decent work and establishing new balances between flexibility and security. The debate focused on what form responsible political action might take, as far removed from uncritical support for "the market" as from any desire for all-embracing regulation. The first symposium concluded by stressing the importance of continuing such exchanges between researchers, specialists, social partners and policy makers from various disciplines and countries, since today there was "too little time for reflection in politics" (Juan Somavia) while "more effective action depended on better understanding" (Elisabeth Guigou).

Continuing where the first symposium left off, the subject of the second is "The dynamics of change and the protection of workers". It focuses on the trajectories followed by individuals during their working lives, on changes in direction and breaks in those trajectories, and on the policies which can cope with the various phases of workers' life. Three areas will be considered in depth:

The first topic for discussion concerns the dynamics and protection of various types of transition occurring in the labour market. The previous symposium showed the need for indicators taking into account the dynamics of trajectories within the labour market, an aspect that has often been poorly grasped and largely neglected in debates on work and employment. To take this dimension into account is required in order to monitor progress, stagnation or even labour market setbacks. Indeed, whether a particular kind of work qualifies as decent or not can only be fully analysed via a trajectory-based approach: an employment situation that leaves a lot to be desired (such as a poorly paid and badly protected fixed-term contract) may prove to have actually been a stepping stone towards decent work.

Discussion will be needed on analysing trajectories, to find evidence of whether a given type of employment acts as a bridge to promotion and progress or is a "trap", leaving individuals in constantly precarious situations. It seems especially relevant to consider critical moments that determine whether the person will be included in or excluded from the labour market B for example, the transitions between school and work, between work and unemployment, and between work and retirement. Ensuring good transitions (leading to decent work) and preventing bad transitions (ending in exclusion or remaining trapped in poor working conditions) would in fact be the objective of a transition-oriented employment policy.

The second topic concerns the relationship between work and family. For many workers, in particular women workers, the "choices" between work/career and family life remain difficult. They often tend to be based on constraints (education and care of children, elderly and disabled people; maternity and related circumstances; sharing of domestic chores, etc.) rather than constituting "real" choices. Being penalized more often by these constraints, women find it more difficult to gain access to decent work, to a career and responsibilities.

Large differences can be seen among the most developed countries as regards family-oriented or gender-equitable mechanisms for social protection, employment policies and workers' rights. In general, decision makers, experts and social partners understand the need to replace the once dominant model of the male breadwinner, as the latter is increasingly inappropriate in the contemporary socio-economic context. So, the question of reconciling family life and working life is no longer a "women's issue". Apart from conventional solutions relating to social services, community facilities, family benefits and assistance for working mothers and fathers, two points deserve attention. The first concerns a new sharing of responsibilities between the public sector, enterprises, the "third" sector, families and individuals. The second concerns attempts to overcome the traditional division between social policies, on the one hand, and, on the other, fiscal, training, work, employment and gender equality policies.

The third subject is concerned with the patterns of social regulation that are needed to support the above developments. The first meeting highlighted the advent of new players at the national and international level. It questioned what were the suitable venues for debate and decision, and how the local, regional, national and international levels could be linked. How could the protection of worker and company interests be reconciled in a globalized environment? Were the market and regulation in opposition, or could "win/win" solutions be found, in particular solutions promoting a more egalitarian society? What role should a global social authority have: that of a legitimizing agency or a monitoring and control entity? Should particular situations in an individual's life cycle be regulated or should people be conferred rights they could choose to use throughout their lives? These issues will be reconsidered on the basis of the results of the discussion on the first two subjects.

Two broader questions emerge, which cut across all three areas: first, do we not need to analyse the risks of exclusion facing individuals over their entire life cycle? Second, in order to guarantee the sustainability of decent work, should we not include the coordination or integration of policies, because the impact of a measure depends increasingly on how it interacts with other measures that are all too often conceived and implemented independently? Comparisons might be made of ways and means of policy integration that have been developed in various national and international initiatives.

By addressing these issues, the conference aims to give concrete expression to the notion "lifelong security" and to debate how to achieve it.

Programme

Thursday, 17 January 2002
9.30-10.30
Opening:	Gérard Collomb, Mayor of Lyon Juan Somavia, Director-General, ILO
Introduction:	Peter Auer / Bernard Gazier
10.30-12.30
Session 1:	Preventing exclusion and facilitating integration: Transitions on the labour market.
	Chair:	Georg Fischer
	Coordinator:	Bernard Gazier
	Speakers:	Anne-Marie Brocas Per K. Madsen Günther Schmid
	Discussion
12.30-14.00	Lunch
14.00-16.00
Session 2:	Balancing family and working life: a life cycle approach
	Chair:	Annie Fouquet
	Coordinator:	Eileen Appelbaum
	Speakers:	Dominique Anxo Gösta Esping Andersen Jeanne Fagnani
	Discussion
16.00-16.30	Coffee
16.30-18.30
Session 3:	Between market and regulation: new social regulations for life long security?
	Chair:	Renate Hornung-Draus
	Coordinator:	Alain Supiot
	Speakers:	Marie-Anne Frison-Roche Michael Piore Bruno Trentin Simon Deakin
	Discusssion
19.30	Dinner	(speaker: Catherine Barbaroux)
Friday, 18 January 2002
9.00-10.00	Summaries of round tables and overall synthesis
10.00-10.30	Coffee
10.30-12.30	Panel discussion and general discussion on "The impact of globalization on employment, work and social protection" Elisabeth Guigou, Juan Somavia, Pierre-Paul Maeter, Pierre-Alain Muet, Jean-Pierre Rodier, Mamounata Cissé
12.30-14.00	Symposium closing, followed by an aperitif and a buffet lunch.