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Sectoral
Activities Programme
Tripartite Meeting on Labour
Practices in the Footwear,
Leather, Textiles and Clothing
Industries
Geneva, 16-20 October 2000
Information note
Contents
Purpose of the Meeting
Composition of the Meeting
Contents of the Report
Panel discussions
ILO strategic implications
Timetable
Press Release on the report
Note on the proceedings
Contact address
Information Note
The Tripartite Meeting on Labour Practices in the Footwear, Leather, Textiles
and Clothing Industries will be held at the International Labour Office,
in Geneva, from 16 to 20 October 2000.
Purpose of the Meeting
At its 274th (March 1999) Session, the Governing Body of the International
Labour Office decided that the purpose of the Meeting should be: to exchange
views on labour practices in the footwear, leather, textiles and clothing
industries, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its
discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by
governments, by employers= and workers= organizations at the national level
and by the ILO; and to adopt a report on the discussion. The Meeting may
also adopt resolutions.
The Office has issued, in English, French and Spanish, a report (document
TMLFI/2000) which will serve as the basis for the Meeting=s work.
Composition of the Meeting
The governments of the following 20 countries have been invited to participate
in the Meeting: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, India,
Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Romania,
Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States. The
following countries have been included in a reserve list: Argentina, Belarus,
Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Germany,
Honduras, Hungary, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, South
Africa, Spain, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.
Twenty Employer members and twenty Workers' members have been appointed
by the Governing Body on the basis of nominations submitted by the Director-General
of the ILO after consultation with the Employers= and Workers' groups of
the Governing Body.
In addition, representatives of certain intergovernmental organizations
and observers representing certain international non-governmental organizations
have been invited to attend the Meeting.
Contents of the Report
The Report prepared by the ILO serves as a basis for discussions and contains
the following themes:
Trends and recent developments in TCF industries
The changing structure of production and trade
Textiles, clothing, footwear: a world employer:
Long-term trends in employment
Women workers in TCF industries
Globalization and stability of employment
Labour costs, wages and hours of work
Labour practices and fundamental principles and rights at work
Child labour in the TCF industries: Some progress but "could do better"
Freedom of association and effective recognition of the right of Collective
bargaining: Globalization and social dialogue
Discrimination: targeting migrant workers and women
Forced labour: Clandestine workshops, "sweatshops" and debt Bondage
Labour practices in EPZs: Towards improved social dialogue?
Private voluntary initiatives: Business ethics and the promotion of
fundamental rights at work
Globalization, technological change and training
practices
Competitiveness, technology and training needs: The case of the industrialized
countries
Countries in transition and developing countries: relative technological
Stagnation but a high level of training needs
Summary and suggested points for discussion
The suggested points for discussion which
cover the themes developed in the report will be discussed in plenary sittings.
Panel discussions
Three topics - social dialogue, decent work and safe work and voluntary
private initiatives - will be further elaborated in panel discussions.
ILO strategic implications
Conclusions and resolutions adopted at tripartite sectoral meetings provide
guidance for SECTOR's work in particular industries. The meeting is expected
to boost a proposed item in SECTOR's programme of work for 2002/03 biennium
in the Textiles, clothing and footwear industries.
Individual sectoral meetings take place about every four years. In
between the meetings, the concerned expert is engaged with giving effect
to the meeting's conclusions through follow-up activities (workshops at
the national level) and conducting research on matters relating to the
industry.
Timetable
A draft timetable of the meeting will be finalized on the first day.
Press release on the report
A press release summarizing highlights of the report will be issued before the
meeting.
Note on the proceedings
Following the meeting, the ILO will publish a Note on the Proceedings,
including a summary of the principal speeches, debates, panel and roundtable
discussions, and adopted conclusions and resolutions.
For additional information concerning the sector, visit the textiles,
clothing and footwear sector page on this site.
The report for the meeting may also be obtained from ILO
Publications.
CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Mr Jean-Paul Sajhau
Sectoral Activities Department
International Labour Office
4 route des Morillons,
CH-1211 GENEVE 22, Switzerland
Tel : (++41 22) 799 6467, fax 799 7967
e-mail: sajhau@ilo.org or sector@ilo.org
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