“ILO Week” in Georgia
In July, Georgia hosted three major events in Batumi, Adjara, organised with the ILO support and attended by representatives of the ILO, government, trade unions, as well as legal professionals and members of academia. Thus, the week of 11 to 15 July in Georgia can be justly called “ILO Week”.
15 July 2017
Content also available in:
русский
On 11 July, a Strategic Tripartite Workshop on Social Dialogue was held in response to the Tripartite Social Partnership Commission’s (TSPC) request for the ILO to explore the feasibility of developing a regional TSPC in Adjara. The workshop was chaired by Zurab Pataradze, Head of the Government of Adjara, which is an autonomous region of Georgia, and attended by Elza Jgerenaia, Head of Labour and Employment Policy Department of the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Irakli Petriashvili, President of the Georgian Trade Union Confederation (GTUC), Misha Kordzakhia, Vice-President of the Georgian Employers Association (GEA), and Akaki Zoidze, Head of the Parliamentary Committee for Labour, Health and Social Affairs.
Three senior officials of the Adjara Government, namely the ministers of Health and Social Affairs, Education, and Economy, attended another event initiated by Ilia Verdzadze, President of GTUC- Adjara. The first part of the event featured an introductory session designed to give Adjara’s constituents an overview of the social dialogue and tripartism on the global, European, national, and regional levels.
In the afternoon, Ilia Verdzadze led a discussion of possible next steps towards the establishment of a regional TSPC for Adjara. All parties agreed in principle to follow-up on the initiative, in particular by drafting a decree on setting up the tripartite body, including its charter and terms of reference. In addition to this, the participants suggested a few items to be added to the regional TSPC’s strategic plan to be adopted at the new body’s first meeting. The ILO has expressed its support of the endeavour.
On 12-13 July, the ILO facilitated a two-day training session on the international labour standards (ILS) for members of the Georgian Bar Association (GBA) and its Adjara branch. The sessions led by Lejo Sibbel, ILO Moscow Senior International Labour Standards and Labour Law Specialist, assisted by national expert Zakaria Shvelidze and GBA Board member Irakli Khandashvili covered topics such as the ILO mandate and supervisory mechanism, Conventions, and the relationship between the ILS and national labour legislation. Day two featured a discussion of the Georgian Labour Code, with a particular focus on the amendments adopted in 2013.
On 14-15 July, the ILO, in cooperation with the High School of Justice (HSoJ) and the GBA, held the first local Bench-Bar type of event, attended by judges and legal practitioners from all parts of Georgia. Presentations and panels led by judges and/or lawyers focused on topics such as legal and procedural aspects of employment termination, burden of proof in labour law relations, case law trends, mediation of collective labour disputes, reinstatement, freedom of association and collective bargaining. The final session included an intro into the concept of labour courts with examples and models from Europe.
Three senior officials of the Adjara Government, namely the ministers of Health and Social Affairs, Education, and Economy, attended another event initiated by Ilia Verdzadze, President of GTUC- Adjara. The first part of the event featured an introductory session designed to give Adjara’s constituents an overview of the social dialogue and tripartism on the global, European, national, and regional levels.
In the afternoon, Ilia Verdzadze led a discussion of possible next steps towards the establishment of a regional TSPC for Adjara. All parties agreed in principle to follow-up on the initiative, in particular by drafting a decree on setting up the tripartite body, including its charter and terms of reference. In addition to this, the participants suggested a few items to be added to the regional TSPC’s strategic plan to be adopted at the new body’s first meeting. The ILO has expressed its support of the endeavour.
On 12-13 July, the ILO facilitated a two-day training session on the international labour standards (ILS) for members of the Georgian Bar Association (GBA) and its Adjara branch. The sessions led by Lejo Sibbel, ILO Moscow Senior International Labour Standards and Labour Law Specialist, assisted by national expert Zakaria Shvelidze and GBA Board member Irakli Khandashvili covered topics such as the ILO mandate and supervisory mechanism, Conventions, and the relationship between the ILS and national labour legislation. Day two featured a discussion of the Georgian Labour Code, with a particular focus on the amendments adopted in 2013.
On 14-15 July, the ILO, in cooperation with the High School of Justice (HSoJ) and the GBA, held the first local Bench-Bar type of event, attended by judges and legal practitioners from all parts of Georgia. Presentations and panels led by judges and/or lawyers focused on topics such as legal and procedural aspects of employment termination, burden of proof in labour law relations, case law trends, mediation of collective labour disputes, reinstatement, freedom of association and collective bargaining. The final session included an intro into the concept of labour courts with examples and models from Europe.