One of the greatest innovations that took place in vocational training during the last few years has been its progressive connection with the world of work and, therefore, the systems of labour relations. Traditionally, Latin America witnessed the implementation of models - regardless of the variations and nuances of concrete national experiences - which gave public institutions the responsibility of training human resources for the thriving industry of the 1940s and 1950s. In most cases, the incipient institutionality of the processes required the participation of workers' and employers' organisations to manage such bodies (tripartism). Simultaneously, collective bargaining at the enterprise level or according to the activity sector dealt with the impact that training could have in wages and employment promotion policies.

The changes brought about by the insertion modalities of economies in international trade and the growing importance of knowledge and communication and information technologies have caused this (highly predictable and stable) reality to be deeply altered. In accordance with the above mentioned changes, the training and development of human resources have ceased to be tasks exclusively assumed by the State.

Furthermore, training has become a crucial tool for the promotion of better opportunities for men and women, and therefore, for the promotion of equality in the labour world.

>> Trade unions' initiatives
  - Documents
  - Publications and experiences
  - Links to trade union training institutions

- Trade unions and training

>> Employers' initiatives
 - Publications and experiences
 - Links to training institutes of entrepreneurial entities

In that sense, and through its representative organisations, both entrepreneurs and workers approach the issue of training. They do so by proposing their initiatives to the State and training institutions, as well as by organising their own training structures and committing themselves to the design and execution of policies. In sum: because of its increasing leading role, its contributions to the improvement of individuals, the strengthening of enterprises' competitive capacity and for promoting equality and social insertion, training begins to take the lead within the scenario of labour negotiations and relations, without totally taking the place of the previous model.

2000 Decision of ILO's Governing Body states the potential power of vocational training to become an important element in collective bargaining. It reads "particularly at the sector and enterprise levels, collective bargaining can offer appropriate conditions for organising and providing training. This collective bargaining could include matters such as:

- the qualifications needed by the enterprise and the economy;
- the training that workers need;
- the evaluation of basic qualifications and other qualifications obtained at the workplace or through performing individual or associated activities;
- the setting of career standards for workers;
- the implementation of policies and programmes to ensure equal opportunity between men and women and to remove the occupational segregation suffered by female employment;
- the drawing up of development and vocational training plans for workers;
- the necessary structure to obtain the best possible benefit from training;
- awards and bonus systems, including a remunerations structure".

In addition to these processes, the issue of vocational training was also tackled by Ministries of Labour (Labour management and vocational training) since training has turned into an active employment policy, probably the most important one. Some employment plans implemented by many ministries had a fundamental training component, or, at least, they included some sort of participation of such bodies in the direction of actions, that were managed and executed by social partners or by a wide range of actors belonging to the labour and training world.

Trade unions' initiatives on vocational training

Documents

Apreciación de la CGTP-IN (Portugal) sobre la ley 13/2003 sobre "Rendimiento Social de inserción" de 21 de mayo, CGTP-IN (Portugal) discusses law 13/2003 concerning "Rendimiento Social de inserción" (Social performance of insertion) dated 21st May, written by the Declaración de Rectificación (Rectification Statement) N° 7/2003 dated 29th May (Portugal). It includes regulations concerning the obligation to be trained and go to interviews for workers who are assisted by the allowance that is created; it adopts the participation of social actors inside an inter-ministry body of "Rendimiento de inserción". (Only available in Spanish)

Criterios para la negociación colectiva 2003 (Criteria for collective bargaining 2003), document by Comisiones Obreras - CC.OO. - Spain). It contains the general strategic vision of CC.OO. and their view on the issue of training in particular. (Only available in Spanish)

Declaración pública de UGT y CC.OO en relación con el Real Decreto para la regulación del sub sistema de formación continua (julio 2003) Public declaration of UGT and CC.OO. regarding the Royal Decree concerning the regulation of the sub-system of continuous training (July 2003) (Only available in Spanish)

Document by workers' union Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT-Brazil) on Vocational Qualification and Certification and its relationship with trade unions and the labour reform in the context of the Fórum Nacional do Trabalho (National Labour Forum).

La falta de formación no es el motivo de la discriminación en el acceso al empleo.(Lack of training is not the cause of discrimination in the access to employment). Document by General Workers' Union (Spain). September 2003-10-16. (Only available in Spanish)

La formación como instrumento para la igualdad. (Training as an instrument for equality). Secretaría Confederal de la Mujer (Confederate Secretariat of Women). CC.OO. Madrid, April 2002. (Only available in Spanish)

Manifiesto por el reconocimiento de los derechos laborales del personal investigador en materia de formación (Manifesto for the acknowledgement of research staff's labour rights in terms of training) CC.OO - Spain. (Only available in Spanish)

"Euromanifestación" manifesto of CES in Rome, Oct. 4th, 2003: " Pour l'Europe Sociale Maintenant!"

Negociación colectiva y género. Una apuesta de futuro. (Collective bargaining and gender. A future investment). Confederate Secretariat of Women. CCOO, Madrid, february 2003. (Only available in Spanish)

Proposals by CC.OO and UGT regarding collective bargaining with CEOE and CEPYAME on the criteria for 2003 collective bargaining - with references to vocational training and qualification, among other bargaining issues of interest

ETUC and the European Convention. Resolution adopted by the 10th Congress of the European Trade Unions Confederation, 2003, expressing ETUC's concern about the lack of: a clear and committed decision to integrate the Charter of Fundamental Rights with full legal effects into the Constitution; a proper consideration for the place and mission of Services of General Interest with a legal basis to act on them at EU level; a proper consideration for the place of Services of General Interest or a positive response to the need to establish the tools for economic governance at European level; a full integration of the gender dimension; a positive response to the need to establish the tools for economic governance at European level to effectively pursue sustainable
development, full employment and social cohesion; a recognition of trade union rights at European level.

Publications and experiences

Balbo, J. Pereyra, E.; Barretto Ghione, H. Diez años de la JUNAE. (Ten years of JUNAE). Montevideo: JUNAE/PIT-CNT/OIT, 2003. (Only available in Spanish)

Casanova, F. Vocational training and labour relations. Cinterfor/ILO, 2003

Casanova, F. Coord. Training from trade unions: innovative experiences. Cinterfor/ILO, 2002.

Godio, J. Work organization and collective bargaining Cinterfor/ILO, 2002.

Workers and Vocational Training. Bulletin Cinterfor/ILO, 148. Montevideo: Cinterfor 2000

Trade Unions and Training. Bulletin Cinterfor/ILO, 144. Montevideo: Cinterfor 1998.

ILO. El papel de las organizaciones sindicales en los procesos de concertación. (The role of trade unions organisations in concertation processes). ILO: Lima, Perú. (Only available in Spanish)

ILO. Collective bargaining and gender equity. Labour Overview 2002. ILO, 2002. p. 65-73.

Orsatti, A. Relations between vocational training and trade union training. Montevideo: Cinterfor/ILO. ACTRAV / AECI, 2001.

Sepúlveda, Juan Manuel ; Vega Ruiz, María Luz
El Diálogo Social en los Países Andinos ¿Nuevo Camino para los Sindicatos? (Social dialogue in the Andean countries: a new way for trade unions?) Lima, 2000. (Only available in Spanish)

The ILO and workers (ILO Web site on Social Dialogue)

Links to trade union vocational training institutes (including trade union training)

Employers' initiatives on vocational training

Publications and experiences

de Moura Castro, C . Cuando los empleadores controlan la formación, muchas cosas pueden suceder. (When employers have control over training many things can happen) Bulletin Cinterfor/LO, 142. Montevideo: Cinterfor 1998. (Only available in Spanish)

As one employer to another ... What's all this about EQUALITY?. ILO, 1997.

Ferrer Dufol, J. Trabajo decente (digno) y formación profesional. Decent (dignifying) work and vocational training. Bulletin Cinterfor/ILO, 151. Montevideo: 2001. (Only available in Spanish)

Training in the enterprise. Bulletin Cinterfor/ILO, 154. Montevideo: Cinterfor 2004.

Hiba, J. C.. Capacitación empresarial para mejorar las condiciones y medio ambiente de trabajo en las pequeñas y medianas empresas. (Entrepreneurial training to improve labour conditions and environment at small and medium-size enterprises) Bulletin Cinterfor/ILO, 138. Montevideo: Cinterfor 1997. (Only available in Spanish)

Participación de los empleadores en el Proyecto "Nueva cultura de las relaciones laborales: fortalecimiento de los comités de laboralistas empresariales en Colombia". (Employers' Participation in the Project "New culture of labour relations: strengthening entrepreneurial labour committees in Colombia"). Equipo Técnico Multidisciplinario para los Países Andinos. (Only available in Spanish)

Reunión Técnica "Los empleadores y la formación profesional en América Latina y el Caribe", (Technical Meeting: "Employers and vocational training in Latin America and the Caribbean") called by Private Entrepreneurs Confederation of Bolivia, INFOCAL Foundation and Cinterfor/ILO. (Only available in Spanish)

The ILO and Employers. (ILO Web site on Social Dialogue)

Links to Training institutes of entrepreneurial entities