ILO - BRUSSELS
NEWSLETTER N°. 6/2006
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International Labour Conference
Flexibility in the Employment Relationship and workers' health and safety were the key concerns addressed by the 95th annual International Labour
Conference, which drew to a close on 16 June. Conference delegates adopted a new Framework Convention on Occupational Safety and Health and an
accompanying Recommendation (
click here). These standards aim to develop a "preventative
safety and health culture" through national occupational safety and health programmes. Delegates also adopted an international labour Recommendation
on the Employment Relationship (
click here), an instrument which will help each Member State
to distinguish between employed and self-employed workers and combat disguised employment relationships.
The International Labour Conference addressed violations of International Labour Standards in several countries, focusing in particular on forced
labour in Myanmar and serious concerns about freedom of association in Belarus and Bangladesh. It welcomed the tripartite agreement establishing a
permanent ILO presence in Columbia. The ILO will provide technical assistance within the framework of the National Decent Work Country Programme
which includes, in particular, the promotion and defence of workers' fundamental rights. Delegates also examined the ILO's role in technical
cooperation and looked in particular at promoting decent work in each country and partnerships with other UN bodies and other organisations.
The report on technical cooperation presented at the conference is available
here.
Read more about the latest International Labour Conference in the ILO press release available
here.
New ILO guidelines to reduce risks in coalmines
The importance of the coal sector is shown by unprecedented growth rates in its consumption and production, particularly in Asia, and remains an
important activity in almost 50 countries. However, underground coalmining has always been one of the most dangerous sectors in terms of health and
safety for workers. The ILO has adopted a new Code of Practice on health and safety in coalmines. Prompted to replace the Code of Practice adopted
in 1986, this new instrument includes changes that have since transformed working conditions in the mining industry. It contains a methodology for
identifying dangers, preventing and reducing risks as far as possible and specific provisions to make underground mining operations safer. Further
information is available
here.
Impact of compressed working weeks
Compressed working weeks, i.e. shorter working weeks with the same number of working hours, are becoming increasingly common. A new ILO study
reviews insights gained into the impact this trend has at different levels: productivity, absenteeism, workforce rotation, rest and sleep periods,
health and safety, worker satisfaction and so forth. It also provides a range of practical recommendations for implementing compressed working weeks
with a view to limiting fatigue and improving worker performance. Click
here to access the study.
World Day Against Child Labour
The World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL), first launched four years ago, is observed worldwide on 12 June each year. It serves as a catalyst
for the growing worldwide movement against child labour. This year provides an opportunity to highlight the objectives outlined in the ILO's
latest global report on The end of Child Labour: within reach presented in our last newsletter. The report shows that child labour has
decreased worldwide for the first time (a drop of 11%).
To mark World Day Against Child Labour, the ILO has released a new film on child labour. Click
here to watch the film. The ILO has also published a report, available
here, on its work in Turkey, where the EU recently allocated
€5.3 million to a national project, implemented by the ILO, to eradicate the worst forms of child labour. The International Programme on the
Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) website provides a description of the technical assistance project aimed at combating child labour and sexual
exploitation (including trafficking) in Central and Eastern Europe. It also provides exact figures on the situation in each country in the region. Click
here to access the site.
European Commission and ILO: cooperation to promote decent work in the world
Decent work is the fundamental objective of all of the ILO's actions. This concept sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives and
involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better
prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organise and participate in the decisions
that affect their lives and equal opportunities and treatment for all women and men (click
here for further information about this definition). Access to decent work will now also
be one of the European Union's priorities. In a Communication published on 24 May 2006, the European Commission expressed its desire to
strengthen European policies and programmes that aim to help spread decent work both inside and outside the European Union.
This Communication, entitled Promoting decent work for all is available
here. It is due to be followed by practical
actions such as finalising instruments to measure and examine decent work, gauging the effect of trade on decent work, strengthening the contribution
of decent work in EU development policy and reinforcing cooperation with regional and international organisations, the business community and other
parts of civil society. The Commission will publish an outline of progress made in this area by summer 2008.
ILO-EESC conference on the European social model
The ILO and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will hold the first-ever joint conference on the European social model at the EESC
headquarters on 26-27 June. The two bodies believe that a better understanding and appreciation of the European social model is not only of crucial
importance to the European Union, but to the entire world. This applies in particular to areas such as social justice, social protection, equal
opportunities and minimum standards for social and labour legislation, which are crucial for ensuring the well-being of the population and
sustainable economic development. The International Labour Standards defined by the ILO reflect several of these values.
The conference will take a critical look at the European social model, from both inside and outside the EU. It will attempt to answer the following
two questions: What can Europe be proud of in particular? and How can Europe look beyond its economic concerns to contribute to development and
cohesion across the world? This conference is the first practical step towards implementing the cooperation protocol signed by the two bodies
in November 2005 (for more information on the protocol, read the interview with EESC President Anne-Marie Sigmund, published (in French) in the annex
to our December 2005 newsletter available
here).
New publications
The following recent ILO publications may be of special interest to our readers:
Violence at work. Third edition
Par Duncan Chappell and Vittorio di Martino
2006; xxiv+360 pp.; ISBN 978-92-2-117948-1; €22 Euros
This new edition shows that violence at work – which includes intimidation, mobbing, threats from psychologically unstable colleagues, sexual
harassment and even homicide - is on the rise across the world and reaching virtually epidemic proportions in certain countries. The overall
cost of such violence amounts to millions of euro lost through absenteeism and sick leave following incidents. The study also shows that professions
that were previously thought to have escaped such violence, such as teaching, social services, libraries and medical services, are now exposed to
increasing levels of violence in both developing and industrialised countries. The authors also address the growing problem of terrorism and the 'new
face of violence in the workplace' which contributes to the already explosive mix of aggressive acts at work. Click
here to order a copy.
An entire edition of Labour Education (a publication by the ILO Bureau for Workers' Activities) has also been dedicated to violence at work
and can be downloaded
here.
Scheduled meetings
Please
click here for a list of ILO meetings scheduled for 2006 and 2007.
Contact us
For more information on the ILO's activities, please contact the :
ILO Brussels
Rue Aimé Smekens 40
B -1030 Brussels
Belgium
Tel.: + 32 02 736 59 42
Fax: +32.02 735 48 25
E-mail: brussels@ilo.org
Website : www.ilo.org/brussels
