Workers’ group calls for employee focus in global crisis management

http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/3153

27 March 2009


Workers’ representatives are demanding that the social and employment dimension of the world economic crisis be highlighted at the G20 summit next week.

At a meeting of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Economic and Social Policy Committee on 17-18 March in Geneva, Switzerland, Ebrahim Patel, vice-chair of the workers’ group, called for a focus on a number of areas in attempts to deal with the global financial crisis. These, he said, should include fiscal and wage measures to stimulate demand, social protection, observance of core labour standards and social dialogue and tripartism.


In a speech to the committee, Patel also outlined the group’s support for the concept of a “global jobs pact”, developed with the full involvement of trade unions and employer organisations. The pact should contain several key aspects, for example: public investment-based and employment-orientated stimulus packages; active labour market policies to help workers find decent work opportunities; extended and enhanced social protection provisions and stronger workers’ rights and the application of relevant international labour standards. The group wanted to see the establishment of a global jobs fund managed by the ILO to address the imbalance between developing and developed countries’ economic capacities.

Member states of the G20 should, he said, invite the ILO to the summit as a participant along with other multilateral bodies.

The G20 leaders meet in London, UK, next Thursday 2 April. The ITF is backing a demonstration on Saturday 28 March, Put people first, urging the G20 leaders to build policies to create a global economy based on the fair distribution of wealth, decent jobs for all and a low carbon future.

The global union federations, including the ITF, have put together a special publication on the economic crisis, which will be available next week.

More information about the demonstration: www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk