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Meeting background, composition and purposeThe Tripartite Meeting on the Human Resources Dimension of Structural and Regulatory Changes and Globalization in Postal and Telecommunication Services was part of the ILO's Sectoral Activities Programme, the purpose of which is to facilitate the exchange of information between constituents on labour and social developments relevant to particular economic sectors, complemented by practically oriented research on topical sectoral issues. This objective has traditionally been pursued by the holding of international tripartite sectoral meetings for the exchange of ideas and experience with a view to: fostering a broader understanding of sector-specific issues and problems; promoting an international tripartite consensus on sectoral concerns and providing guidance for national and international policies and measures to deal with related issues and problems; promoting the harmonization of all ILO activities of a sectoral character and acting as the focal point between the Office and its constituents; and providing technical advice, practical assistance and support to the latter to facilitate the application of international labour standards in the various economic sectors. At its 262nd Session (March-April 1995), the Governing Body of the ILO decided that a meeting on the human resources dimension of structural and regulatory changes and globalization in postal and telecommunication services would be included in the programme of sectoral meetings for 1996-97. At its 268th Session (March 1997) the Governing Body decided that this meeting should be included in the programme of sectoral meetings for 1998-99 and that it should be tripartite. It was decided to invite the following 20 countries: Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Italy, Luxembourg, the Russian Federation, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, the United Kingdom and the United States. A number of countries were included in a reserve list from which further invitees would be drawn in the event that a government in the first list declined the invitation. Furthermore, 20 employers' and 20 workers' representatives were invited. The Governing Body decided that the purpose of the meeting would be to share experience in dealing with liberalization and deregulation practices, to discuss the social implications of privatization and restructuring, with special reference to employment status and levels, labour relations, working conditions and human resources development, training and retraining and to adopt conclusions that include guidance and proposals for further action, as well as a report on the discussion. The Meeting could also adopt resolutions. Report for discussion at the MeetingThe report, Structural and regulatory changes and globalization in postal and telecommunications services: The human resources dimension, was prepared by the International Labour Office in English, French and Spanish as the basis for discussions at the Meeting. It reviews the rapidly changing environment in the communications sector, mainly driven by liberalization, globalization and the emergence of the information society and the repercussions of such changes on employment, workers' status and conditions of work, labour relations and human resource management. Background to the reportTraditionally organized on the basis of public monopolies or, more rarely, private quasi-monopolies, the postal and telecommunications services are faced in the 1990s with the triple challenge of a technological revolution, the opening up to competition and the globalization process. Many enterprises often recently established or the subsidiaries of existing enterprises are offering new services or competing with the traditional operators. Because of their public interest functions, the communications services have over the years been subject to special legal and economic regulations. In most cases the specific constraints concern the broadest possible provision of the universal service, the range of services proposed, the charges applied, the infrastructure to be constructed as well as the rules governing the management of human resources and working conditions. However, since it implies a new distribution of the roles between the public authorities and enterprises, the liberalization of the postal and telecommunications markets reduces or even eliminates the exceptions to common labour law which were often granted to or imposed on employees in these sectors (stable or lifelong employment, restrictions on the right to strike, special methods for fixing wages, organization of labour relations, etc.). The scope and rapid nature of the changes under way at the dawn of the information society are therefore having a profound and lasting effect on the management of human resources in the postal and telecommunications services. Report contentsThe five chapters of this report review the regulatory and structural changes which have occurred in the 1990s, in particular the processes often linked to liberalization and privatization, and their effects on the structure and level of employment, training and retraining of employees, as well as on labour relations and the participation of workers in the process of change. Each chapter contains a brief introduction and a short conclusion. The report concludes with a list of suggested points for discussion. Press releaseA press release summarizes main points of the report and the meeting's subjects. Note on the ProceedingsThe Note on the proceedings contains a summary record of the meeting's discussions, including its panels, and the conclusions and resolutions adopted. Related InformationFor additional information on ILO activities and publications on this sector, please visit the ILO sectoral Website page for postal and other communications services. Contact for further information:Mr. John Myers,
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