A blueprint for equality
Fighting inequalities in a changing world of work
23 June 2022
Heinz Koller, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, participated in an ETUI-ETUC joint conference entitled ‘A Blueprint for Equality’. He underlined that fighting inequalities has been central to the ILO’s work since 1919, and remains high on the ILO’s policy agenda. Two equality related Conventions, ILO Convention 100 on equal pay and Convention 111 on non-discrimination in employment, form part of the Fundamental principles and rights at work.
Whereas before 2020, inequality between countries tended to diminish, due to rising average incomes in some of the large emerging economies, including China, Indonesia and India, the pandemic has changed the picture, including in Europe.
The 9th ILO Monitor on the World of Work reveals that, more than two years after the start of the pandemic, most workers have not recovered their labour incomes and the gender gap in hours worked has continued to grow during the pandemic. Moreover, the current increase in food and commodity prices is badly hurting poor households and small businesses, especially those in the informal economy.
In December 2021, the International Labour Conference adopted Conclusions on inequalities in the world of work. For the first time, this text gives a comprehensive picture of inequalities as a multifaceted phenomenon and a global challenge which requires urgent action. It identifies the different types of inequalities within and among countries, their causes and underlying drivers. Within countries, there are huge inequalities, also depending on categories of workers. “For example, in Europe, migrants from outside the EU face a risk of poverty that is multiple times higher than that of EU nationals and tend to have lower average income levels,” said Mr Koller.
The Conference Conclusions put forward a comprehensive strategy to address and prevent inequalities in the world of work, focusing on areas such as decent employment creation, access to education and training, promoting trade and development for a fair globalization and ensuring universal social protection. This strategy is intended to help ILO Member States accelerate action to reduce and prevent inequalities in the world of work and ensure that no one is left behind, and will be further developed by the ILO Governing Body in November, when it will discuss a follow-up action plan to these Conclusions with a view to implementing them at the country level.
In concluding, Mr Koller underlined that the ILO stands ready to cooperate with the European Union on the issue of inequalities.
Whereas before 2020, inequality between countries tended to diminish, due to rising average incomes in some of the large emerging economies, including China, Indonesia and India, the pandemic has changed the picture, including in Europe.
The 9th ILO Monitor on the World of Work reveals that, more than two years after the start of the pandemic, most workers have not recovered their labour incomes and the gender gap in hours worked has continued to grow during the pandemic. Moreover, the current increase in food and commodity prices is badly hurting poor households and small businesses, especially those in the informal economy.
In December 2021, the International Labour Conference adopted Conclusions on inequalities in the world of work. For the first time, this text gives a comprehensive picture of inequalities as a multifaceted phenomenon and a global challenge which requires urgent action. It identifies the different types of inequalities within and among countries, their causes and underlying drivers. Within countries, there are huge inequalities, also depending on categories of workers. “For example, in Europe, migrants from outside the EU face a risk of poverty that is multiple times higher than that of EU nationals and tend to have lower average income levels,” said Mr Koller.
The Conference Conclusions put forward a comprehensive strategy to address and prevent inequalities in the world of work, focusing on areas such as decent employment creation, access to education and training, promoting trade and development for a fair globalization and ensuring universal social protection. This strategy is intended to help ILO Member States accelerate action to reduce and prevent inequalities in the world of work and ensure that no one is left behind, and will be further developed by the ILO Governing Body in November, when it will discuss a follow-up action plan to these Conclusions with a view to implementing them at the country level.
In concluding, Mr Koller underlined that the ILO stands ready to cooperate with the European Union on the issue of inequalities.