|
|
Is the Workers' Group satisfied with the way that the sectoral meetings run? This is an area in which the ILO meets its local constituents, such as the Global Union Federations and the real employers, who are the companies. However, the Workers' Group does raise the question of follow-up. Each of the 22 sectors meets once every four years, and relationships are built up on these occasions. But there's a lack of follow-up on the ground. More financial resources must be set aside so that, in addition to the meetings, there can be tripartite follow-up that has a real impact on the countries and sectors concerned. A questionnaire-based survey has been made among the ILO constituent so that they determine what role they would like to see sectoral activities playing in the future. The Workers' group responses to the questionnaire highlighted the need for more action-oriented concrete activities and for the ILO to collaborate with other international organizations within and beyond the United Nations family. This hopefully will be borne in mind when the new programme starts. It was heartening that governments had emphasized the relevance of sectoral activities in their replies including their link with ratification and promotion of sectoral Conventions and work at national level encouraging synergies, even if the number of replies was unfortunately low. Take for example the meeting in January 2002 on the civil aviation sector «post September 11». What results can the workers concerned expect from that? That meeting should have taken place sooner, but it was postponed following the events of September 11, because the reports on the problems facing the sector had been made relatively obsolete by the new security concerns. Labour in the civil aviation sector has been very much affected by the consequences of the attacks and the bankruptcies of several big companies, such as Sabena and Swissair. All the participants in the meeting felt that governments had a duty, in certain hardship cases, to provide financial assistance to affected workers. To give you another example, holding a meeting for the media, cultural and graphical sector that address "the future of work and quality in the information society", which is planned to be held between the two next meetings of the World Summit on the Information Society, would make an important contribution from the world of work to the debate. Who represents the employers in the sectoral meetings? They have different kinds of representative - the Employers' Group, the national and international employers' associations, or the companies themselves. The Workers' Group like it when the companies take part, because they see things straight away through the eyes of employers on the ground, whereas the national associations don't always have all the necessary expertise and knowledge. In a way, the associations representing the employers are less well organized than the workers, because there is no employer equivalent of the Global Union Federations. What is the ILO planning in terms of sectoral meetings in the near future? In March this year, there was consensus on the three major action programmes in the agriculture, education and footwear, textiles and clothing sectors, although further consultations were needed to refine them and answer remaining questions. There has been considerable support for small tripartite planning meetings and year-long action programmes - in the construction, hotel, catering and tourism, and financial and professional services sectors. Moreover, the Office should start work on the programme to develop a database in the transport equipment manufacturing sector. There is also considerable support from governments and the Workers' group for a multi-sectoral programme on HIV/AIDS. Activities for two sectors, forestry and basic metals, should be the subject of further consultations and the recommendations put to the Governing Body in June. When companies are represented in their own name at ILO meetings, isn't there a risk that they'll use this for public relations campaigns afterwards? It's certainly an opportunity to make them face up to their responsibilities. A few years ago, when Nigeria was under the yoke of a dictatorship, some trade unionists in the oil sector had been imprisoned. We were able to use the sectoral meetings to question governments and oil companies about what we saw as complicity with, or at least a lack of opposition to, a dictatorship which was depriving its people of its country's resources. Interviewer: Mr. Samuel Grumiau, November 2002.
Updated by LO. Approved by MS. Last updated: 7 June 2003.
|
Interview with Mr. Jerry Zellhoefer