ILO LIAISON OFFICE – BRUSSELS
NEWSLETTER NO. 2/2005
Include labour inspection in the countries of the European Union
A conference on labour inspection will be held in Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg, from 9 to 11 March. The aim of the conference, organised by the ILO
and the Inspection du travail et des mines (the organisation responsible for inspecting the workplace and mines in Luxembourg) as part of the
Luxembourg Presidency of the European Union, is to draw up effective policies for developing and implementing an integrated system of inspections in
the workplace. Delegates representing employers, workers and governments from some 100 countries will share their experiences on the subject during
the conference.
The ideas behind this integrated system are to categorise the different tasks involved in labour inspections (checks, advice, penalties and so forth)
and to gradually reach a stage where there is 'one company – one inspector', which would ensure stability in the relations between the inspector, the
company and workers. The ILO's Safe Work programme supports this development (for more information on the programme
click here).
Job creation after the tsunami
The ILO is urging that an employment-intensive job creation strategy be integrated into the humanitarian and reconstruction plans following
the earthquake and tsunami in Asia.
In a strategic document published shortly after the disaster (available by
clicking here), the ILO recommended that employment be treated as
"a central issue at all stages of disaster management and response." A press release summing up its long-term reconstruction strategy for the
regions hit by the tsunami is available by
clicking here. The ILO has decided to shift the focus of some of its technical
cooperation programmes so that priority can be given to the regions and groups that were hardest hit. Documents providing an overview of the ILO's action
in two of the countries affected by the tsunami, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, are
available here.
One step further in the campaign on social security and coverage for all
Although social protection is a fundamental human right, only one person in five in the world benefits from social security coverage. The ILO is
campaigning for the extension of social security to be placed at the top of the agenda in as many countries as possible. It supports national and
international decision-makers in devising strategies which aim to extend this form of protection. An article
published here shows how the ILO's support is actually provided in Kenya.
For several years, social protection has not been treated as a priority in this African country but plans now exist to ensure that all workers will be
able to earn a minimum wage regardless of whether or not they are working in the formal economy. Discussions are currently under way to introduce the
idea of a comprehensive national health insurance fund and to create a social security and pension fund. The ILO is assisting the Kenyan government with
the implementation of these projects.
For more information on the ILO's campaign on social security and coverage for all,
click here.
A guide to reduce gender inequality
Gender inequalities impact severely on attempts to reduce poverty, not only amongst women but also amongst their children and dependants. In a
contribution to change this situation, a new ILO guide aims to develop the expertise necessary for integrating gender equality into poverty reduction
strategies, in particular during the consultation and participation process of the ministers for employment and the social partners when developing
poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSPs). The guide is divided into five sections, including an introduction to PRSPs and gender-specific issues, a
list of actions that governments, employers' organisations and trade unions could undertake to promote gender equality and also ways of monitoring
the progress made by PRSPs in achieving gender equality.
This guide, entitled “Social dialogue and poverty reduction strategies. Guide to integrating gender equality”, is the outcome of a project co-financed
by the Dutch government. You can obtain a copy free of charge by contacting the ILO Social Dialogue department secretary, Johanna Ruefli, either by
phone (00-41-22-799.76.86), fax (00-41-22-799.87.49) or e-mail (ruefli@ilo.org).
New study on the trafficking in human beings from Romania
Trafficking in human beings from Romania with the aim of exploiting them on the labour market or subjecting them to forced labour is on the increase
in Europe. An ILO study (available
here) reviews the situation. The study mainly deals with
the factors which prompt workers to leave Romania, how travel to and the exploitation (sexual exploitation, work in the construction sector, etc.)
of workers in the host country is organised, the different forms of coercion used by traffickers, 'working conditions' and so forth. The study also
addresses the issues of prevention and help for victims as well as the legal aspects. This study, entitled 'Trafficking of migrant workers from Romania:
Issues of labour & sexual exploitation' is published by the InFocus Programme on promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
Foreign investment and working conditions
What is the link between public support for foreign direct investment and employment-related issues? An ILO working paper addresses the different types
of support available: international investment agreements between states, foreign investment insurance agencies and financial support for foreign
investment. For each category the paper establishes links and conditionalities established with respect to human rights, employment conditions and
working conditions. The Dutch agency FMO (Netherlands Development Finance Company) is examined. The working paper is entitled 'Labour and Employment
Issues in Foreign Direct Investment: Public Support Conditionalities' and is available by
clicking here.
Update on intermediaries in the legal migration of workers
ILO Convention 97 (adopted in 1949) recommends that the international migration of workers should take place with the help of public employment
agencies active in the country of origin and the host country and that issues related to salary and working conditions should be regulated by means
of bilateral agreements. This was the dominant model in the 1950s and 1960s in Europe and North America but it ceased to be the norm in the 1970s
and 1980s when Asian workers began moving into the Middle East. Nowadays, private recruitment agencies manage the majority of migrations and their
interests are not necessarily compatible with those of workers, employers and governments. The majority of governments attempt to retain control of
these agencies (for example by issuing licences) and prevent abuse, with mixed results depending on the country. The 1997 ILO Convention 181
acknowledged the importance of private employment agents in the migration of workers.
A discussion paper published by the ILO International Institute for Labour Studies provides an update of the changes in the recruitment of migrant
workers. It is entitled 'Merchants of labor: Agents of the evolving migration infrastructure' and is available by
clicking here.
Did you know…?
The list of fee-paying subscriptions to ILO publications for 2005 is available
here. New additions to the list include the Yearbook of Labour Statistics on CD-Rom
and the option of online access to articles from the International Labour Review, one of the ILO's reference publications. Other publications - such
as the periodical Labour Education, devoted to promoting training activities of trade unions, and ILOLEX, a database comprising over 80,000 documents
on international labour standards and fundamental principles and rights at work - are also available by subscription.
Schedule of meetings
The list of ILO meetings scheduled for 2005 is available
here.