Deregulation of Labour Markets is no ‘Cure for Unemployment’

(Paris, 13 June 2006) 

The idea that deregulation can be a “remedy to cure unemployment” may have reached its ‘sell-by date’ as news of the OECD review of its 1994 Jobs Strategy (published June 13) spreads from specialised circles via mass media to the public at large, according to the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD.

Speaking with regard to the publication of Employment Outlook 2006, John Evans, TUAC General Secretary, said the 30-member intergovernmental organisation is now in effect moving to a more “evidence-based approach”. “The old approach of deregulating labour markets as a means of reducing unemployment has failed to produce the results that were promised” he said. As the OECD now says, “There is no single golden road to better labour market performance. After a decade of empirical observation we see that successful examples of improved performance are specific to national circumstances and history.”

The Nordic economies above all show that it is possible to have strong social policies while maintaining high levels of employment. They have outperformed other models in terms of employment and poverty reduction.

The meeting of OECD Ministers in Toronto on 15-16 June will discuss what the Division of Employment, Labour and Social affairs is calling a facelift for its original 1994 Jobs Strategy. Use of the term facelift is seen by TUAC as an attempt to hold on to the claim that countries which implemented the Jobs Strategy Recommendations “consistently” performed better that those that did not.

However, the example of the Nordic countries as well as the employment performance of Ireland and Spain warrants a more far-reaching interpretation. Indeed Ministers at Toronto will be told that “many policies have stood the test of time and relevance but time passes and policy goals evolve”.

TUAC has welcomed this “shift of emphasis”. TUAC does not disagree with the “four pillars” of policy lessons drawn from experience, namely:

·    Appropriate macroeconomic policies set according to actual circumstances

·    Removal of  impediments to labour market participation and job search

·    Policies impeding demand in labour- and product-markets and

·    Policies facilitating development of labour-force skill-sets.

However, the representatives of the world’s labour movement still disagree with some of the recommendations which overemphasise the role of increasing “incentives” to work by calling for less generous unemployment benefits and for time-constrained entitlements. It assumes that the number of employable workers in an economy determines the number of jobs available. This is a false assumption.

The trade unions rather have emphasised the central contributions of both aggregate demand and investment in productive capacity to the achievement of full employment and the lifting of living standards.

To read the TUAC comments, click here:

A summary of the OECD Employment Outlook is available from the OECD  : www.oecd.org

 listening  to the opinions of Social Partners"

(Paris 24 May 2006)

The 2006 OECD Ministerial Council, chaired by the Greek Prime Minister, Kostas Karamanlis focussed on the economic outlook, structural policy, OECD reform, and the trade negotiations. Ministers agreed on 'the importance of listening to the opinions of social partners". However, the meeting's conclusions gave few precise responses to the key issues that TUAC raised in the written statement and at consultations with the Ministers on the eve of the meeting, such as how to rebalance OECD growth between the US and Europe at high levels of output, demand and employment and by Europe expanding its own internal demand? What is a new agenda for structural policy given the rejection of working people of insecurity and precariousness of work?  How to integrate China less disruptively in the global economy and how to deal with the employment and rights impact of the expansion of trade and investment? Against these benchmark the Ministers’ conclusions fall short on key issues, the only language pointing to these issues is that they state that (in parallel to trade negotiations) “governments of OECD countries have responsibility vis-à-vis our own citizens, to ensure that our economies are effectively managed to provide equality of opportunities, while respecting the rights of, individuals and the needs of the community as a whole”.

To read the TUAC Evaluation click here

Micro Needs Macro: How to Make Structural Reforms in Europe Really Deliver More and Better Jobs

In a joint reaction to the speech given by Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the ECB, at the OECD’s Global Forum conference (22th May, Paris), the Trade Union Advisory Committee  and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) stress the crucial role monetary policy plays in transforming structural reforms into more and better jobs.

To address the challenge of globalisation, Europe needs an agenda of structural reform that enables its economy to moving upwards on the ladder of innovation and productivity in order to keep ahead of the competition of low wage economies.

TUAC and ETUC however underline that structural reforms are only able to deliver more and better jobs provided:

·        Reforms are balanced. Productivity and workers’ engagement in firms will suffer badly if the balance between the flexibility for firms and the security for the work force is missing. Excessive flexibility in labour markets is the worst enemy for the knowledge society. Labour market institutions such as unemployment benefits, job protection may need to be adapted but we should beware of ‘throwing the baby out with the bath water’.

·        Reforms are broadly ‘owned’. Social dialogue and collective negotiations between autonomous social partners are the key to achieving balance in reforms, thereby increasing the likelihood of actual implementation of these reforms.

·        Reforms are accompanied by pro– active aggregate demand policies. Improving aggregate supply and productivity needs to go hand in hand with expansionary aggregate demand policies in order to avoid the economy getting trapped in a situation of low confidence/low growth while undertaking structural reforms.

TUAC and ETUC regard price stability as a necessary but not sufficient objective. Price stability is only one dimension of a stability oriented monetary policy framework. The other dimension must be stabilising fluctuations in economic activity and the business cycle, as illustrated by the slump in growth in the Euro Area in 2001. TUAC and ETUC cannot accept the wisdom of raising interest rates in the Euro Area at a time core inflation is under control and the recovery still limited to a single engine of export demand growth.

TUAC Plenary Session Meets With OECD Secretary-General Elect

 (May 22 2006)

The TUAC Plenary Session met on 22 May on the eve of the OECD Mministerial Council with Angel Gurria – the General-Secretary Elect of the OECD who will be taking up his post on the 1 June. The discussion covered TUAC’s advisory role to the Organization where Mr Gurria insisted on the importnace social partner engagement. The reassessment of the OECD Jobs Strategy and the economic situation were also discussed. The Plenary Session also affiliated two new organizations – UNHIO from Norway and USO in Spain and elected the President of the Japanese trade union centre RENGO Tsuyoshi Takagi as TUAC Vice –President.

TUAC representatives meet  the new Chair of the Economic Policy Committee of the OECD (EPC)

On May 15, back to back with the spring meeting of the  Economic Policy Committee of the OECD (EPC) representatives of TUAC and BIAC met jointly with the new Chair of the EPC, Edward P. Lazear, who is also chairman of the US President's Council of Economic Advisors, and the chief economist of the OECD, Jean-Philippe Cotis, to present TUAC views on the short- and medium-term economic outlook. TUAC delegates expressed particular concern about growing imbalances in the global economy. They pointed out that the world’s major economic regions remain unbalanced both internally and externally, which highlights the risk that macroeconomic and currency misalignments may destabilise the global economy. They also emphasized that in many OECD countries real incomes are dangerously depressed and wage growth has been delinked from productivity growth. The relative proportions of wages and corporate profits as a share of national income has shifted., undermining the purchasing power of working families. This creates an unsustainable situation. Moreover, they underlined the need to rebalance world growth by raising demand in Europe and Japan and strengthening job creation. In comparison with the past the current recovery has been feeble in terms of job creation. This applies not only to the US but also to a number of European countries. The latter are suffering from inefficiencies and slow growth caused mainly by the EU's economic policy system, as revealed by a recent study on "Economic Policy and Growth in Europe", released by the French Council of Economic Analysis. is The limitations of macroeconomic policy in maintaining sound economic conditions are a particular problem in Europe, according to the study, which makes mention of the absence of interaction with structural policies. Regrettably, the power of counter-cyclical fiscal policies is not used in the Eurozone to promote growth and employment. When it comes to counter-cyclical policies, Europe -the Eurozone- is at a disadvantage in every way compared to the US. The current Framework for macroeconomic policy makes it difficult if not impossible to implement counter-cyclical expansionary policies which interact with and facilitate structural reforms.

Key Worker Issues: Priorities for Climate, Energy &
 Industry Policy Debates, announces UN CSD

New York, May 2006

A 50-strong trade union delegation lobbied for two weeks at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in New York this month and won the battle to include crucial worker- and employee- issues in the 2007 international policy discussions on climate, energy, air pollution and industrial development.

The activities of the trade union delegation at the CSD were coordinated by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC).

Included in the agenda will be: employment transition, worker training & education, occupational health & safety, worker participation and ILO core labour standards.

After 30 thematic sessions in a country-by-country lobbying effort and a public- speaking schedule, representatives were rewarded with a CSD draft agenda that identified the clearest-ever mandate for incorporating employment transition in future implementation programmes.

Job Promotion, Decent Work,
Employment Transition & Worker Training

The report included various provisions to identify measures for the promotion of employment linked to pollution abatement, industry planning, transportation, energy efficiency and access; and especially access issues that relate to gender and youth employment.

In its most comprehensive list of proposals to date, the CSD covered skills training, worker education and decent work: “Industrial policy should strive to include social aspects of worker education and training programmes, with a focus on sustainable consumption and production to generate decent and meaningful jobs, create new market opportunities, and ensure reliable access by the poor to cleaner energy services,” the report said. It touched on corporate responsibility and the importance of the role of the public sector as well as highlighting gender issues:  “Women in particular must be given greater access to education on affordable energy services and cleaner fuels”.

The report from the Chair specified that “ILO core labour standards were identified as being instrumental,” in the improvement of the environmental and social performance of enterprises, including job health and safety.

Woeful Omission of  Social & Corporate Accountability
Growing Importance of Country Profiles

Integration of the social, environment and economic pillars forms the basis of the trade union proposals to governments at the CSD. The Chair’s report, however, scarcely touched on the tangible links to poverty alleviation and the MDGs. Not only this: absent from the report are references to corporate accountability and measures to implement them, such as the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises and the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles for Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy. The Chair alluded only to CSR issues. Trade unions and other Major Groups agreed to work together to strengthen both the social and corporate governance elements in 2007.

During CSD, Trade Unions met with representatives of other Agenda 21 Major Groups (Business, Farmers, Indigenous Groups, Local Authorities, NGO’s Scientists, Women and Youth) and agreed to prepare joint country-profiling and lobbying at the 2007 CSD meeting. Co-operation on country-profiling looks destined to become a driving element in trade union relations with other Major Groups.

Trade Unions call on OECD Finance Ministers
 to act on Job Creation

(Paris 19 May 2006)

The Trade Union Advisory Committee to OECD (TUAC) has called on OECD Governments to implement a coordinated package of measures to stimulate employment and reduce economic insecurity for workers whose jobs are threatened by globalisation.

In a statement to be presented to Ministers on the eve of the annual meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial level (23 -24 May 2005), the trade unions’ representative body also identified the key issues on which it called for Governments to take action. These included:

-        Work with central banks and with social partners to boost domestic demand particularly in Europe and Japan so as to rebalance OECD growth and to reduce the danger of overcorrection of imbalances between OECD regions;

-        Refocus the OECD Jobs Strategy so as to expand the potential for growth and the quality of employment through structural initiatives and investment in human capital, skills adaptation, and income security in the changing job market;

-        Take urgent steps to meet the 2005 commitments  to accelerate action to meet the Millennium Development Goals, by delivering on promises given to developing countries on debt relief and development assistance;

-        Ministers must develop a raft of government policy responses to the employment impact of globalisation that reinforces core worker rights, reaffirms and strengthens the OECD Guidelines on multinationals, guarantees transparent corporate governance and develops best practice adjustment assistance.

The TUAC statement recalls that even after four years of “recovery”, 36 million OECD workers are still out of work, while worldwide more than one billion workers are unemployed or underemployed, while nearly 1.4 billion are working in conditions of extreme poverty and struggle to survive on less than $ 2 a day.

The statement will be delivered to Ministers at consultations on the evening of 22 May by a TUAC delegation led by John Sweeney, President of TUAC and President of the AFL-CIO (United States) and other trade union leaders.

To read the TUAC statement click here

Structural reform policies are no ‘magic bullet’ to tackle unemployment

TUAC comments on the draft “Policy Lessons from Re-Assessing the OECD Jobs Strategy”

On Monday, 3 April 2006, the OECD’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee (ELSAC) and the Economic Policy Committee (EPC) met jointly in order to discuss draft policy recommendations regarding the reassessment of the OECD Jobs Strategy. Prior to the deliberations of the committees, joint consultations with both TUAC and BIAC were held. The TUAC delegation, chaired by TUAC Vice-President Luc Cortebeeck from Belgium, emphasized that high unemployment across the OECD remains a serious challenge. Delegates welcomed that the draft policy lessons acknowledge that good labour market performance can be achieved and maintained by different policy packages. However, particular concerns were expressed because this was not appropriately reflected in the draft policy recommendations. Like the 1994 Jobs Strategy, they place excessive emphasis upon “reforming” labour market institutions to reduce unemployment. Moreover, they are biased in favour of policies pursued by so-called “liberal regimes”, characterized by low levels of welfare benefits and limited taxation to fund these benefits, little employment protection and a limited role for collective agreements.

TUAC delegates expressed strong objections to the recommendation to weaken the role of sectoral collective bargaining by introducing opt-out clauses and to strengthen the role of employer-employee agreements at the level of the individual firm. It was argued that in order to prevent a cost-cutting race to the bottom and to protect workers, a wage floor provided by sectoral agreements is indispensable. Moreover, delegates emphasized that institutional changes in national bargaining systems should be left primarily to their key actors, trade unions and employers.

Moreover, TUAC delegates also underlined that macroeconomic policy, in particular institutional coordination and the structures of economic policy governance are of key importance for strategies successfully reducing unemployment and promoting employment. They referred to country case studies, suggesting that maintaining strong aggregate demand can be particularly effective if financial and monetary policies are closely coordinated with collective bargaining, based on social dialogue and consensus building.

To read more 

Dead & Injured Workers Remembered,
28 April ‘Commemoration Day’ Is Beacon For Change

(Paris, 27 April, 2006)

Asbestos and HIV/AIDS is the main focus for the 28 April ‘International Commemoration Day (ICD) for Dead and Injured Workers’.

Trade union leaders report that at least 8 million people will hear from workers and unions though some 12,000 activities organized in 115 countries or territories. The country-by-country summary of activities is available at: http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpH_3c.EN.pdf (please check for periodic updates).

ICD figures from the UN’s International Labour Organisation (ILO) show that more than 2 million workers die each year as a result of occupational injuries and work-related diseases, with some 160 million new cases of work-related illness annually.

The General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), Guy Ryder, emphasized that the unprecedented level of mobilization has taken place because asbestos alone kills over 100,000 workers every year and nearly 37 million people involved in productive work are HIV-positive; two problems that will get worse if unchecked.

John Evans, the General Secretary of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) where the main organizing for 28 April took place says he expects this year’s activities to spill-over into ongoing major international campaigns to stop the trade of asbestos and to stem the tide on HIV/AIDS.

28 April Spills Over To Global Asbestos Ban Campaign

He said that Global Unions would now step up international efforts to stop the trade of asbestos in the following countries:

Call for G8 HIV/AIDS Working Group To Intensify

Evans said Global Unions would strengthen calls that emerged from 28 April activities to convince the G8 to create a high-level permanent Working Group on HIV/AIDS. He said such a group was needed because HIV/AIDS is a workplace issue, affecting livelihoods, enterprise productivity and socio-economic security and that more effective follow through of promises made from one G8 to the next was needed. He said that trade unions in many developing countries had succeeded in obtaining the support of Civil Society and business and that trade unions intended to step up efforts over the next three months to build more support by governments and the public.

For more information, contact : royer@tuac.org
Lucien Royer
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC)
15, Rue Laperouse - 75016 paris, France
Tel (331) 5537 3737 Fax 4754 9828

TUAC Proposals Considered By
Environment & Development Ministers

 Paris, Tuesday 10 April, 2006

The OECD yesterday released a summary of a special Ministerial consultation held last week with BIAC, TUAC and NGO’s regarding the first-ever discussions of Environment and Development Ministers to identify joint work of ministries in Member States.

Heading the TUAC delegation at the OECD consultation with TUAC, BIAC and NGO’s was Luc Cortebeek of the Confederation des Syndicats Chretiens de Belgique (CSC). “We must frame our strategies within concrete plans of action that capture synergies, avoid conflicts and take advantage of mutually reinforcing aspects of economic, social and environmental planning,” he told the select group of members that met prior to the full meeting of Ministers.

“Great care must be taken to ensure that the funding of development projects by the OECD countries takes place in a coherent manner, as part of an overall coherent sustainable development plan”, he said, emphasizing that funded projects must be linked to each other and also made to enhance objectives identified by recipient countries.

BIAC and NGO’s also provided their own recommendations. However, a follow up summary of the consultation released yesterday shows that Ministers drew heavily on the input provided by TUAC: http://www.tuac.org\statemen\communiq\ComEnvEpocDcdDac06e8.pdf

The TUAC issues that were drawn into the summary for consideration by Ministers:

·         The integration of environment and development cooperation policies should be seen in the broader framework of sustainable development and such integration requires linking long-term concerns to short-term economic, financial and social interests, including employment and health.

·         Sound framework conditions are required including, e.g. transparent regulations, competent civil service and and educated workforce.

·         Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are not a panacea and require careful oversight by government to ensure that objectives are achieved.

·         Poor countries are more vulnerable to the impacts of global environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, unsound management of hazardous chemicals and others.

·         Governments must honour their international commitment to poverty reduction (e-g. to achieve the 0.7% target of GNP as ODA).

·         A wide range of MEAs – not only on the Rio Conventions, should be promoted to establishing more consistent policy and regulatory frameworks for poverty reduction strategies, including ILO instruments, with a view to promoting. synergies.

·         Aim for a better co-ordination with OECD Annual Meeting of Sustainable Development Experts and devote more efforts to monitoring progress with regard to the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the DAC Guidelines on Sustainable Development Strategies.

·         Build upon the environmental and social interface in the OECD Environment Strategy for the First Decade of the 21" Century and to strengthen the co-ordination between environmental, social and other policies.

The OECD produced a discussion paper in advance of the meeting:
http://www.tuac.org\statemen\communiq\COM_ENV_EPOC_DCD_DAC(2006)5_ENG1.pdf

The TUAC provided a written submission, summarizing its views and responding to selected themes identified by the Ministers:
http://www.tuac.org\statemen\communiq\TUACSubmission2.pdf

ICFTU/TUAC contribution to the Review of the GRI Guidelines: five areas where the current ‘G3’ proposal can be improved

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is currently engaged in the revision of its reporting Guidelines, referred to as ‘G3’. A proposal of revision is posted for public consultation at the following address www.grig3.org. The TUAC and the ICFTU have submitted a joint contribution to that phase of the review process:

* a labour marked-up of the G3 with specific proposals of amendments to the public consultation text,
* a cover note  explaining the rationale for our proposals of change.

The comments are regrouped under five main objectives.

* The G3 should reflect the broader interests of society and sustainable development.
* The G3’s social performance indicators should be both valid and relevant. 
* The new “Disclosures on Management Approach” sections should be reinforced
* The G3 should remain neutral vis-à-vis commercial “assurance” providers and other CSR-related initiatives.
* The G3 should align reporting guidelines with good corporate governance practice

Contact information: at the ICFTU, Dwight Justice,
at the TUAC, Pierre Habbard & Anabella Rosemberg

Contribution de la CISL et du TUAC à la révision des Lignes Directrices du GRI : Cinq domaines où le G3 peut être amélioré

Le Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) est actuellement engagé dans la révision de ses lignes directrices, dénommée G3. Une proposition de révision est en ligne pour consultation publique à l’adresse suivante: www.grig3.org. Le TUAC et la CISL ont soumis une contribution conjointe à cette phase du processus de révision :

* Une version marquée du projet G3 mettant en évidence des propositions syndicales d’amendement.
* Une note introductive expliquant les principales motivations de nos amendements.

Ces propositions d’amendement peuvent être regroupées en cinq grands objectifs.

* Le G3 doit refléter les intérêts de la société et du développement durable en général ;
* Les indicateurs de performance sociale du G3 doivent être valides et pertinents ;
* Les nouvelles sections « Informations sur l'approche de management » doivent renforcées ;
* Le G3 doit resté neutre vis-à-vis de l’industrie de la certification/vérification et d’autres initiatives RSE à caractère commercial ;
* Le G3 doit être aligné sur les bonnes pratiques de gouvernement d’entreprise.

Contact: à la CISL, Dwight Justice ,
au TUAC, Pierre Habbard & Anabella Rosemberg

Aporte de la CIOSL y la TUAC a la revisión de las Guías GRI: cinco áreas donde la propuesta G3 puede ser mejorada.

La Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) ha comenzado un proceso de revisión de sus guías para  la elaboración de memorias, llamada G3. La propuesta de revisión de estas guías han sido publicadas para consulta publica en www.grig3.org  (en inglés), (en castellano). La TUAC y la CIOSL presentaron conjuntamente su aporte a esta fase del proceso de revisión.

* Una versión sindical corregida (sólo en ingles) “labour marked-up of the G3”  con propuestas de enmiendas específicas al texto sometido a consulta publica.
* Una nota introductoria (en castellano) . que explica las principales razones de nuestras enmiendas

Los comentarios de la CIOSL y la TUAC pueden ser reagrupados en cinco objetivos principales:

* El G3 tendría que reflejar el interés general para la sociedad y el desarrollo sostenible.
* Los indicadores de desempeño social del G3 tienen que ser válidos y relevantes. 
* La nueva sección sobre Información sobre el enfoque directivo deben ser fortalecidas.
* El G3 debe permanecer neutral con respecto a los organismos de verificación y otras iniciativas de RSE.
* Se deberían alinear los procedimientos de información del GRI con buenas  prácticas de gobierno corporativo.

Contactos: en la CIOSL, Dwight Justice,
 en la TUAC, Pierre Habbard  & Anabella Rosemberg

TUAC and ICFTU urge unions to contribute to the public comment period on the OECD Draft Policy Framework for Investment

TUAC has written to its affiliates and partner organizations urging them to submit comments on the OECD Draft Policy Framework for Investment (PFI) to the OECD online consultation: http://www.oecd.org/investment. The Policy Framework, which is due to be adopted by the OECD Ministerial Council in May, is directed primarily at non-OECD governments and is designed to set out the policy framework that according to OECD experience will be most successful in attracting foreign direct investment that contributes to development. It is not a legally binding agreement as the failed Multilateral Framework for Investment was designed to be and according to the OECD the PFI is a “non-prescriptive checklist”. However clearly the PFI could be an instrument that influences strongly how governments frame their investment promotion strategies. The OECD consultation document that can be downloaded from the OECD Website consists of a checklist of issues covering ten priority areas of policy, together with annotations that draw on longer OECD background reports. The policy scope is wide including for example tax, csr, infrastructure, human resource policies as well as investment promotion.

TUAC, in cooperation with the ICFTU, has been participating in consultations with the OECD on the PFI for the last 18 months alongside BIAC and NGOs and we have submitted at several stages written comments that we have reported on the TUAC website. Compared to the previous drafts, improvements have been made to the current version of the PFI for example with regard to the chapters on investment promotion and facilitation and human resource development. However, the union view is that it remains an imbalanced document that emphasises investor rights far more than the need for governments to have choice over their domestic development strategies. The OECD Guidelines on MNEs only have passing references in the PFI.

TUAC working together with the ICFTU has listed in the attached comments a number of priority points that should be redrafted in the PFI. And have urged affiliates and global union partners to use these points to make comments on the PFI on the OECD online consultation. The deadline for comments is the 10^th of February.

If you require further information please contact Veronica Nilsson nilsson@tuac.org or Pierre Habbard Habbard@tuac.org at the TUAC secretariat.

To read the TUAC comments click here

UNEP & Trade Unions Develop Common Programme For Environment & Sustainable Development

(Paris, 30 January, 2006)

A recently-released document by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), summarizing the outcome of an international meeting of trade unions provides the basis for a new and broader platform for action by the global trade union movement on the environment and sustainable development.

The UNEP document arising out of the first International World Trade Union Assembly on Labour and the Environment 15-17 January in Nairobi Kenya was welcomed by John Evans, General Secretary of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), who was the rapporteur for the drafting of the final trade union Resolution which was endorsed by the participants attending the meeting.

Evans noted that representatives of UNEP, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) also supported the development of a common programme of action with trade unions. He said that the willingness by UNEP and other UN agencies to recognize trade union participation in protecting the environment was an important step forward.

The UNEP document, “The Final Resolution of The Trade Union Assembly”, reinforces the new trade union commitments on sustainable development by defining a focus for future cooperation on climate change, chemicals, occupational & public health, corporate social responsibility, as well as equity and access issues affecting poverty. The document also lays out a framework for future campaigns on such issues as HIV/AIDS, accessibility to water and the banning of asbestos. It is available at:

English:  http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpO_6d.EN.pdf
Français: http://www.global-unions.org/pdf//ohsewpO_6d.FR.pdf
Español:  http://www.global-unions.org/pdf//ohsewpO_6d..SP.pdf

During the Assembly the Spanish Environment Minister Christina Narbona highlighted the importance of trade union involvement in defining new patterns and models of development. The Governments of Argentina, along with representatives from Business, NGO’s and women also attended the meeting and expressed support for the process.

“What was most significant at the meeting was the degree of commitment expressed by elected national and international trade union representatives as well as experts from both the North and South to work with the UNEP, ILO and WHO on the most urgent problems facing us – how to achieve sustainable development,” said Evans.

The General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), Guy Ryder, went further to suggest that the agreement reached by the meeting could serve as basis for a major body of work for a new international trade union organization that is likely to be created next November, when a history-making trade union unification will take place.

The significance of the Assembly to the global quest for sustainable development was subsequently noted by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he welcomed the new initiatives being taken between the trade union movement and UNEP. During the Assembly’s concluding session UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said he was impressed by the Assembly’s concentration on tangible action. He said the problems of creating decent and secure jobs in the context of sustainable development remained the same but that the Assembly had produced some new ideas for the goals that might be achieved.

Evans noted the high degree of enthusiasm exhibited by the parties to the meeting, saying that he saw a much clearer understanding amongst participants of the role that workers and trade unions will have to play in the world’s workplaces, negotiating with employers as well as in communities to bring about the changes which are needed.  He warned, however, that the greatest challenges still lie ahead.

“We now have to shift our efforts to convincing more governments and employers to work with us on joint projects that can yield concrete results”, he said. “In the next six months, for example, one of our aims must be to deliver the messages coming out of the Kenya Assembly to Member States attending a number of intergovernmental meetings; UNEP itself, as well as the World Health Organisation, the OECD, the CSD, the G8, the ILO and the UN General Assembly.”

A special website was created for the Assembly, where programme information and background documentation for the meeting can be obtained: http://www.WILL2006.org

Evans reported that a Workbook initially produced to frame discussions at the Assembly would soon be replaced by an updated version, which incorporates the results of workshop deliberations. In some respects, he said, the Workbook will serve as the implementation document for the Assembly’s adopted resolution.  In addition, UNEP is set to release its own summary of the discussions that took place in Nairobi.

The Assembly was coordinated with UNEP by the Sustainlabour Foundation – an international trade union Foundation, based in Spain.

For more information contact Lucien Royer.

TUAC obtains “Observership” status at OECD Working Party on Private Pensions

The TUAC has been granted formal observership status to the OECD Working Party on Private Pensions (WPPP), the highest participation status for non-member states. The WPPP deals with all regulatory aspects of occupational pre-funded pension schemes, and has developed several Guidelines and Recommendations over the past three years. Issues covered by the WPPP include governance of funds, relations with asset managers, funding and benefit security rules, and protection of plan members’ rights. To assist the TUAC participation in the work of the WPPP, an informal group of labour experts on pension regulation is being set up by the TUAC Secretariat and will be chaired by Mr Bob Baldwin, former director of the Economic & Social Department at the Canadian Labour Congress.

The OECD WPPP comprises all OECD member states, as well as Colombia, Estonia, Russia, Singapore, India, Israel and the following organisations: World Bank, IMF, International Social Security Association (ISSA), International Actuarial Association (IAA), European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP) and the Asociación Internacional de Organismos de Supervisión de Fondos de Pensiones (AIOS, covering Latin America).

More info at OECD Private Pensions webpage

OECD to appoint Angel Gurria as new OECD Secretary General

OECD Ambassadors have agreed to move  ahead to  appoint the former Mexican Foreign Minister Angel Gurria as OECD Secretary General next June when Donald Johnston steps down. The report of the Dean of the Ambassadors together with the C.V. of Mr Gurria is available on the OECD website. TUAC has written to Mr Gurria setting out trade union views on the future vocation of the OECD and expects to meet with him as soon as practicable.