ILO Governing Body elects new chairperson

GENEVA (ILO News) – The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) elected Greg Vines, Minister (Labour), Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva, as Chairperson for 2011-12.

The 311th Session of the Governing Body also considered a range of other business, including a report of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association.

Mr. Vines replaces H.E. Mr. Jerry M. Matjila, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations Office in Geneva, who served as Governing Body Chairperson since March 2011.

Greg Vines has been involved in labour relations for over 30 years and is now Special Labour Advisor for the Australian Government. Prior to this appointment in Geneva, Mr. Vines had held a number of senior executive roles with the Australian Federal and State Governments. From 2008-09, he was an executive adviser to the Prime Minister of Timor Leste.

Daniel Funes de Rioja, President of the Social Policy Department of the Argentine Industrial Union and Chairman of the Employers’ Group of the Organization of American States from 1995 to 1998, was re-elected as Employer Vice-chairperson. Luc Cortebeeck, President of the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions in Belgium, was elected Workers’ Vice-chairperson. The two vice-chairs will also serve as spokespersons of their respective groups.

The three will serve as Officers of the Governing Body during the period 2011-12. The Governing Body is the executive council of the ILO and meets three times annually in Geneva. It takes decisions on policy and establishes the program and budget of the 183 member States of the ILO.

The International Labour Conference also elected new members of the Governing Body on 6 June.

The Governing Body is the executive body of the International Labour Office (the Office is the secretariat of the Organization). It meets three times a year, in March, June and November, and takes decisions on ILO policy, the agenda of the International Labour Conference, and the draft Programme and Budget of the Organization for submission to the Conference.

It is composed of 56 titular members (28 Governments, 14 Employers and 14 Workers) and 66 deputy members (28 Governments, 19 Employers and 19 Workers). Ten of the titular government seats are permanently held by States of chief industrial importance (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States). The other Government members, and the worker and employer members, are elected by the Conference every three years.