ILO LIAISON OFFICE - BRUSSELS
NEWSLETTER 7/2003
Stepping up cooperation between the EU and the ILO
In conclusion of their high-level meeting on 8 July 2003, the European Commission and the ILO agreed on a number
of priorities for the intensification of their cooperation. Over the next six months, they intend to develop a strategic
partnership with a view to strengthening the social pillar of sustainable development and shoring up the social
dimension of globalisation. This cooperation between the Commission and the ILO works in both directions: on the
one hand ILO policies and standards serve as important points of reference in the Commission's internal and external
policies; on the other hand, the ILO sometimes uses the European Commission's working methods and policies inspired by
the 'European social model'. The EU is interested in a wide range of ILO initiatives, e.g. the promotion of fundamental
labour standards worldwide, the eradication of poverty by providing jobs, social protection for all, and the
strengthening of the social dialogue.
Minimum wage in the maritime sector
On 8 July, a sub-committee of the ILO's Joint Maritime Committee consented to extend the fixed minimum wage of
465 dollars paid to sailors worldwide until 31 December 2004. It also agreed to raise that minimum wage to 500
dollars as from 1 January 2005.
This is the only sector where the ILO suggests a basic monthly salary at world level. The mechanism for
setting the minimum wage paid to experienced sailors is described in Recommendation no. 187 from 1996 on the
wages and working hours of seafarers and ship's crews. This wage takes account of a formula which reflects the
changes that have occurred in consumer prices and in dollar exchange rates in 49 maritime countries and areas.
Application of this Recommendation is not mandatory unless a government opts to integrate it into its national
body of law. Nonetheless it serves as a guideline for shipowners and trade unions when they come to fix rates of
pay. The seafaring community numbers around 1.5 million people.
Decent jobs as a driving force behind attempts to curb poverty
The ILO is concerned that some international institutions have not yet recognised that job security and decent
work are the best tools for combating poverty. As ILO Director-General Juan Somavia pointed out in Maputo (Mozambique)
on 8 July 2003, "if you ask people living in poverty what they need, they reply ' a decent job', yet employment does
not feature in international policies aimed at eradicating poverty". For more information on the ILO's policy in
this area click
here or
here. The speech given by Mr Somavia in Maputo is
available by clicking
here.
Violence and stress at work
Violence and stress at work in the services sector will be the focus of discussions at a tripartite meeting of
experts held at ILO headquarters in Geneva from 8 to 15 October 2003. The participants will include not only
government, employers' and workers' representatives, but also observers from several intergovernmental
organisations and NGOs working in this area. The aim of the meeting will be to put together a "set of practical
guidelines on violence and stress at work in the services sector, which pose a threat to productivity and
decent employment". The meeting is reserved for designated experts, but the draft version of the guidelines
is available by
clicking here. For more information on
the meeting, please e-mail the ILO's Department of Sectoral Activities at sector@ilo.org.
Decent jobs in agriculture
An international colloquium on decent jobs in agriculture will be held at ILO headquarters in Geneva from 15 to
18 September 2003. The event will endeavour to draw attention to the situation faced by agricultural workers
throughout the world, and to promote the ILO mandate in this context. It will set out to pinpoint initiatives
to be taken by the ILO and the social partners. A preparatory document for the colloquium will be available
shortly on the ILO website (
www.ilo.org). The experts attending the colloquium will cover issues to do with labour
standards, employment, social protection, social dialogue and the role played by multinational companies in agriculture.
New publications
Recent publications by the ILO include the following, which may be of special interest to our readers:
- "The Vital Link"
CD-ROM - 2003 - ISBN 92-2-112803-2 (Price: €13)
For anyone interested in maritime issues, this CD-ROM provides a vivid account of the living and working
conditions of seafarers today, placing them in their historical setting and documenting how the ILO's
Maritime Conventions offer solutions to the problems faced by sailors confronted with a rapidly changing industry.
Click here to order a copy.
Meetings scheduled during 2003
Click here for a list of meetings scheduled by the ILO in 2003.