ILO LIAISON OFFICE – BRUSSELS
NEWSLETTER NO. 10/2004
Rosy outlook for the media sector
A new ILO report notes that the multimedia revolution is tending to create jobs in the media sector rather than killing
them, although some segments are experiencing serious declines in employment.
The report explains that the multimedia revolution promises tremendous growth in opportunities for work as distribution
channels multiply. This should increase the demand for journalists, editors, artists and others in the media, graphical
and culture sectors, but compromises the quality of their work and of their working conditions. New technologies mean
greater time constraints and pressures to produce up-to-date information. The issue of copyright protection is also
raised in the report, which is available
here (or
click here for a press release announcing its
publication).
Employment in the production of films and audiovisual products in 2003 in Europe stood at over 1 million jobs, compared
to around 850,000 in 1995. Some of that growth can be attributed to technology-related work in fields such as
computer-generated digital production, visual special effects technologies, and systems and network management,
says the report.
Belarus in the hotseat
An ILO Commission of Inquiry has confirmed that the Belarus government interferes in civil rights and trade union
activities, a situation which the independent trade unions have been condemning for years now. The Commission of
Inquiry, composed of high-level independent experts, was appointed in November 2003 by the Governing Body of the ILO.
It stresses that freedom of association is widely flouted in Belarus, and cites violations of the right of trade union
members and leaders to freely express their opinions and to freely collect and impart information. Their freedom of
assembly is also routinely violated. The Commission concludes that the independence of the Federation of Trade Unions
of Belarus has been seriously compromised under its current leadership.
The recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry are set out in a report available
here. The Commission lists
a series of recommendations, several of which carry a deadline for implementation by 1 June 2005. The government of
Belarus is required to inform the ILO Director-General whether or not it accepts the recommendations contained in the
Commission's report. The report and the government's reply will be discussed at the next meeting of the ILO Governing
Body in November 2004. A press release on the Commission's report can be found
here.
New cooperation between ILO-EU in the fight against discrimination against migrants
On 1 October, the ILO launched a new programme to fight job discrimination, which in some countries impacts on 30%
of migrants. The programme, which has the financial backing of the European Union, will seek ways of helping migrant
workers (which number 27.5 million in Europe) integrate into the societies where they work. The "Promoting Equality in
Diversity: Integration in Europe" project will support community engagement throughout EU member countries, combating
discrimination against immigrants and facilitating integration. The programme will be implemented in cooperation with
the ILO's tripartite partners. Its first goal is to create a database with profiles of successful practices in managing
the integration of migrants throughout Europe. The ILO has already compiled a database of nearly 100 experiences that
can inspire further initiatives to promote the integration of migrants in the world of work.
A press release with more details on this new programme can be found
here. The website of the ILO's MIGRANT
programme can be found
here.
Framework agreements on the rise
A rapidly growing number of international trade unions and multinational enterprises (MNEs) are signing International
Framework Agreements (IFAs), securing their commitment to the respect of fundamental workers’ rights in all the countries
where they operate. IFAs pursue at international level the objectives set out in national collective agreements. More
than 30 IFAs have already been signed with such well-known companies as Danone, Volkswagen, H&M, Carrefour, Ikea and so
on. A study commissioned by the ILO focuses on the positive impact of the agreement signed in 2001 between banana giant
Chiquita and the International Union of Food and Agricultural Workers (IUF). Prior to the agreement, the trade unions
had forged alliances with like-minded movements in the main consumer countries and ran campaigns to raise awareness
about violations of workers’ rights by Chiquita at the time. The study finds that this kind of framework agreement is
a promising way of protecting the rights of workers in multinational companies, especially those operating in countries
where these rights receive scant protection. The study can be found
here.
Working time and an ageing workforce
Employing older workers is the subject of large debate in the industrialised countries, and this issue is also the topic
of a recent ILO study. The authors of the study analysed trends in the employment of older workers, the reasons for their
low rate of employment, and the link between working conditions and the employment of older workers in the industrialised
countries. They also examined working hours for older workers and looked at their wishes and desires. The study presents
various national and company-level polices on working time for older workers.
Click here to read the study.
New publications
The following recent ILO publications may be of special interest to our readers:
Promoting Gender Equality. Guide on ILO Conventions and Recommendations of particular concern to women workers
2004, iv+151 pp., ISBN 92-2-115237-5, €20
Lack of awareness of women workers’ rights has increasingly been recognised as a constraint in the effective use of
standards. Dissemination of information about these rights is, therefore, a vital instrument for improving the status
of women in society. While ILO instruments are applicable to both women and men, a number of them are of specific
interest for women workers and they are now presented as one volume in the new ILO publication. The Guide is organised
into four categories: fundamental rights and principles at work, work and family, employment promotion, working conditions.
You can order the Guide
here.
Programme of meetings
Click here for a list of planned ILO meetings in
2004 and 2005.
It should also be noted that the Governing Body -- the ILO's executive body -- will be holding its 291st session from
4 to 19 November 2004. The list of agenda items for the meeting of the Governing Body, as well as relevant reports,
can be found
here. The next issue of our Newsletter
will include a summary of the main results of the Governing Body.