Tripartite Meeting on the Social and Labour Dimensions
of the Forestry and Wood Industries on the Move
Geneva, 17-21 September 2001
Conclusions on social and labour dimensions of the forestry
and
wood industries on the move
The Tripartite Meeting on the Social and Labour Dimensions of the Forestry
and Wood Industries on the Move,
Having met in Geneva from 17 to 21 September 2001;
Adopts this twenty-first day of September 2001 the following conclusions:
Globalization and sustainable development
Globalization is gaining momentum in the forestry and wood industries and
accelerating the structural changes that have taken place in this sector
over the last decades. Globalization presents advantages, provides new opportunities
but also comprises risks. The far-reaching changes caused by globalization
and the speed with which they occur have also given rise to concerns over
its repercussions on employment levels and forest-based livelihoods, over
job security, working conditions and rights at work.
At the "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, world leaders committed
to the goal of sustainable development. This important work will be followed
by a further summit (Rio +10) which will be held in 2002. This call has since
been echoed by governments at all levels, employers, workers' organizations,
social and environmental groups as well as by many markets and consumers.
The forestry and wood industries have taken the goal of sustainable development
very seriously. The many initiatives by governments, enterprises, workers
and workers' organizations to simultaneously keep the industry economically
viable, protect the forests and the environment as well as contribute to
social development and justice have given the sector a lead in putting sustainable
development into practice. Substantial efforts are needed, however, to extend
the coverage of these initiatives and to make sustainable development the
norm in the sector. The forestry and wood industries themselves stand to
benefit from an exchange of experiences between the ILO constituents in enterprises
and countries and the replication of effective approaches.
Sustainability of the forest resource base
A sustainable base of forest resources is a vital precondition for the
future of the forestry and wood industries. Drastic reductions in raw material
availability in a number of countries, entailing among other consequences
the loss of large numbers of jobs and rural livelihoods has resulted from
unsustainable land use, both past and present, including excessive levels
of forest harvesting, poor logging practices and poor farming practices,
as well as from natural disasters and changing priorities given to the allocation
of forestry resources. Governments, private forest owners and the forestry
and wood industries should adopt clear and stable long-term policies and
management plans for forests based on national legislation and practices
as well as strategies for industry development in order to secure a reliable
resource base (including secure land tenure) for industry activity and growth.
These policies, plans and strategies should include adequate provisions and
financial resources for social and labour aspects of sector development such
as employment, income generation, improvement of working conditions and occupational
safety and health as well as vocational training. Workers and their representatives** should
participate in making the decisions that will affect them.
The forest industry recognizes its responsibility for sound environmental
management in its forestry and industrial operations. Voluntary enterprise
codes of forest practices are useful tools for sound management, they should
be drafted with the involvement of all stakeholders, and should be used more
widely. The forestry and wood industries need secure access to resources,
in order to be able to commit long-term investment. Guarantees about access
to raw material from publicly owned forests, including natural forests, should
be based on agreements reached by consensus in an open decision-making process
involving all interested groups. Where restrictions on harvesting levels
or the setting aside of forest areas for conservation purposes are deemed
necessary, the economic and social impact of such measures needs to be properly
assessed. Where conservation measures result in adverse social impacts, governments
should develop plans to mitigate such impacts in consultation with the social
partners and back the implementation of the plans by adequate funding.
Reforestation and afforestation, particularly in the form of forest plantations,
can make an important contribution to timber supplies and forest industry
development as well as to the rehabilitation of degraded landscapes and to
the sequestration of the greenhouse gases (such as CO2).
Poorly designed and implemented plantation projects can have unintended effects
and lead to economic, social and environmental costs. Giving full consideration
to social, economic and environmental impacts can assist in maximizing benefits
for all concerned.
In some important producer countries of timber and wood products, the regeneration
of forests and the continued supply of raw material is being undermined by
illegal logging which far exceeds the allowable annual cut. Illegal logging
may directly affect the biodiversity of the forest eco-system. The illegally
harvested timber is often destined for international markets and smuggled
out of the country of origin. This is a serious threat to the industry. If
not abated, illegal logging will curtail the contribution of the forest industries
to national economic development, to employment and income generation. Governments,
as well as processing industries, exporters and importers, should urgently
adopt effective measures, including laws and policies, to stop illegal logging
and the trade in poached timber and products. Measures should include a wider
use of remote sensing and ground inspection of log movements as well as mechanisms
to trace the origin of logs through systems-like chain-of-custody verification.
The Meeting notes the East Asia Ministerial Declaration on Forest Law Enforcement
and Governance adopted in Bali, Indonesia, on 13 September 2001, and recognizes
the efforts taken to combat illegal logging, trade in illegal logs, and other
forest crime.
Certification of forest management and
labelling of forest products
Independent, third-party certification of forest management has been spreading
rapidly in recent years in all regions. Voluntary certification is a good
tool to promote sustainable forest management and to communicate the industry's
achievements with respect to sustainability to stakeholders (including buyers
and consumers of forest products). Certification should be transparent and
certification standards should include a minimum coverage of social aspects
based on core ILO Conventions and take into account the ILO code of practice
on safety and health in forestry work. Workers and their organizations are
entitled to be consulted in the development of certification standards and
in the performance assessment mechanisms.
Employment
The growing pressure to reduce unit cost in order to remain competitive
on world markets for forest products as well as for substitute materials,
coupled with the almost universal availability of advanced technology and
the rise in foreign direct investment, have led to rapid increases in labour
productivity. As productivity is rising much faster than production volumes,
employment in the sector is declining in many countries. A number of countries
have been an exception to the general rule and benefited from the creation
of many new jobs in this sector, particularly where value added, further
processing industries have been established. On the whole, however, globalization
has hastened the decline in employment in these industries. This trend is
expected to continue. The impact on employment can be particularly strong
in countries in transition to market economies. The speed and scale of the
reductions in employment may require social plans and active labour market
policies to cushion the social impact, particularly in timber-dependent communities
and regions. Reducing unit costs should not prevent workers' access to basic
services such as health and educational facilities, especially in remote
locations.
In many countries, the sector faces competition in national labour
markets. The workforce is ageing in many countries and recruitment can pose
problems for occupations that have difficult working conditions and offer
relatively low remuneration. Rationalization and concomitant redundancies
mostly affect unskilled workers. For the remaining workforce, high labour
productivity in more capital-intensive production processes has in many cases
resulted in better jobs, requiring specialized skills, offering much better
working conditions and higher pay. The promotion of further, value added
processing and skills-based supplies and services can partly compensate for
the loss of employment in forestry and primary wood processing and significantly
enhance the contribution to overall economic development. Labour laws must
facilitate the negotiation and implementation of flexible work practices
at the enterprise level.
Skills
Skills are an evermore important ingredient in order to achieve high
productivity and a good economic performance in the forestry and wood industries.
The prospects of thorough training and the acquisition of advanced skills
also contribute to making the industry attractive for young jobseekers with
good potential. The training offered should prepare trainees for the use
of advanced technology. In addition, it should also impart knowledge and
skills concerning subjects like occupational safety and health, sustainable
development, sustainable forest management or general environmental management.
Given the rapid change of technology and work organization, training systems
should cater for lifelong learning. Where redundancies occur and workers
have to be relocated, retraining and skill diversification are important
to facilitate the transition to new jobs and sources of income. Skills testing
and certification according to industry-wide standards enhance the benefits
of training to both employers and workers, because skills are recognized
and become "portable", thus enabling workers to be more mobile. Governments,
employers and workers and their respective organizations should be involved
in the design and delivery of training and skills certificates. Governments
should ensure that the necessary resources are allocated to skill development
for workers as well as for employers in the sector. Industrialized countries
should assist developing ones through technology transfer and skill development,
for example, by supporting the creation of national training systems for
the forestry and wood industries.
Application of the ILO Declaration
The ILO constituents in the forestry and wood industries fully support
the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its
Follow-up adopted in 1998. Governments should make every effort towards the
ratification of core Conventions referred to in the Declaration. They should
cooperate with workers and employers to analyse levels of compliance, to
identify possible deficits and to encourage the widest possible adoption
of these standards in the forestry and wood industries. An important measure
to ensure better observance of the fundamental principles as well as compliance
with other applicable labour legislation is more and better labour inspection
especially in remote areas. Governments should ensure that inspectorates
have adequate resources and trained staff to provide constructive information
to enterprises as well as to act as enforcement agents. More effective labour
inspection will also contribute to avoiding unfair competition from firms
evading legal obligations.
Gender issues
While documentation and statistics on the subject are incomplete, women
play a role in the forestry and wood industries as forest owners, workers,
employers and consumers. In some cases evidence exists of inequalities of
opportunity and of treatment which is not compatible with core ILO standards,
namely the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), and the Discrimination
(Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111). Governments should
take measures to improve the information on the role and situation of women
in the forestry and wood industries. In cooperation with employers and workers,
governments should ensure that women receive equal remuneration for work
of equal value and are afforded equal opportunity and treatment in employment,
including with respect to access to education, training, credit and small
enterprise promotion. This should include, where possible, measures to help
workers reconcile work and family responsibilities. Women should have adequate
maternity protection according to national law and practice. Workplaces should
be free from sexual harassment. Protection against sexual harassment is particularly
important in remote areas.
Contractors
Globalization and structural change have led to the spread of outsourcing
and an increase in the use of contract and, if applicable, subcontract labour.
In forestry, reliance on contract labour has become a feature of operation
in many countries. Contract labour can have positive and negative implications.
In some cases, contract workers have been required to work in lower quality
jobs. Contractors, subcontractors and their employees should be entitled
to the benefits of the principles and rights enshrined in the ILO Declaration.
They should have access to proper training, especially in the areas of health
and safety and skills development. The responsibilities of the various parties
in contracting arrangements should be clearly established, both at the national
level and in the relevant contracting and/or subcontracting agreements.
Promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises account for a substantial proportion
of the contribution which the forestry and wood industries make to economic
and social development of local communities, rural areas and countries. They
tend to be relatively employment-intensive and to add value to forest products
through further processing. Small and medium-sized enterprises should therefore
be assisted through ongoing capacity building for entrepreneurs, such as
training in management and business administration, especially through improved
access to information, to organizations, to services, adequate financial
resources and to venture capital. Development schemes and programmes should
include the social partners. The social partners and the governments should
work together to identify skills shortages and training opportunities in
the small and medium-sized enterprises.
Social dialogue
Social dialogue is important to cope with the challenges of globalization,
harmonization of labour relations and sustainable development. The numerous
examples of social dialogue at international, national and enterprise levels
referred to in the report of the Office as well as during the discussions
at the Meeting demonstrate the benefits for all parties and the opportunities
which may include agreements on changed working arrangements at individual
firms and agreements between enterprises and workers' representatives. Social
dialogue should be conducted in a fair and open manner, provide access to
information and seek to resolve disagreements by consensus. Governments should
establish and periodically convene national and regional tripartite forums
for the forestry and wood industries to facilitate a regular exchange about
social and labour issues, to promote the application of the ILO Declaration
in the sector and as a mechanism to achieve consensus among the social partners
concerning the sustainable development of the forestry and wood industries.
The role of the ILO
The concept of sustainable development encompasses economic, environmental
and social components. The ILO is the competent international organization
to deal with social and labour matters. The Office should establish linkages
with the relevant United Nations organizations in order to ensure that social
and labour concerns in the Declaration on the Fundamental Rights and Principles
at Work are taken into account in international policy discussions affecting
the forestry and wood industries. The Office should also explain its supervisory
mechanisms concerning compliance with ratified Conventions.
The knowledge base on some important aspects of the forestry and wood
industries is still inadequate. The ILO should conduct research to close
gaps in information and improve data on employment and other key indicators,
on the role and status of women in the sector and on best practices in the
use of contractors.
The ILO should actively promote the application of the ILO Declaration
in the forestry and wood industries and advise constituents on suitable approaches.
The promotion of core standards should emphasize information, advise on capacity
building, as well as monitor compliance and use of enforcement by national
authorities only where other means have been ineffective. Labour inspectorates
can contribute to all these functions and the ILO should support member countries
in developing suitable approaches and procedures for labour inspection and
in training labour inspectors.
The ILO should build on its successful cooperation with a number of
countries and promote social dialogue in the sector in all countries with
a significant forestry and wood industry. When requested, it should assist
constituents in establishing and running tripartite forums for the forestry
and wood industries.
In order to enhance the contribution of the sector to economic and
social development and to the alleviation of poverty, the ILO should assist
member countries, particularly developing ones and countries in transition,
to improve efficiency and productivity as well as working conditions in the
forestry and wood industries. Particular emphasis should be given to training,
to the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises and to occupational
safety and health. Regarding the latter, the ILO should continue to assist
countries to use the ILO code of practice on safety and health in forestry
work on a voluntary basis in their national context.
The ILO should lobby governments, in particular in industrialized countries,
to mobilize additional funding for the programmes and activities listed above.
** Throughout this
text, when the term "workers' representatives" is used, it refers to Article 3
of the Workers' Representatives Convention, 1971 (No. 135), which reads as
follows:
For the purpose of this Convention the term "workers'
representative" means persons who are recognized as such under national law
or practice, whether they are: (a) trade union representatives, namely, representatives
designated or elected by trade unions or by the members of such unions; or
(b) elected representatives, namely, representatives who are freely elected
by the workers of the undertaking in accordance with provisions of national
laws or regulations or of collective agreements and whose functions do not
include activities which are recognized as the exclusive prerogative of trade
unions in the country concerned.
Updated by AV. Approved by PB/CDH. Last
update: 25 February 2003.
