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First published 1999

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Impreso en el Perú

Foreword

ILO PRIORITIES IN THE AMERICAS

Conclusions of the XIV Regional Meeting of ILO Member States in the Americas

A Meeting of the 35 Member States of the ILO in the Americas was convoked in Lima between 24 and 27 August 1999.

One hundred and eighty-nine delegates and government technical advisors for employers and workers were accredited. Also 17 Ministers or Vice-Ministers of Labour were present at the meeting. Women accounted for 14.1% of the delegates and 13.2% of the technical advisors.

Representatives from governmental and non-governmental international organizations, invited in conformity with pertinent agreements or on decision of the Governing Body, also attended.

Seven years had passed since said Member States had last met under the auspice of the ILO. That meeting was held in Caraballeda (Venezuela). The hemispheric context has, without a doubt, altered dramatically since then and the meeting in Lima was therefore, very opportune.

The Continent is moving towards economic integration and today there is far more awareness about the impact of economic and trade globalization on social and labour dimensions. Moreover, after almost a decade of structural adjustments there is talk of a "second wave of reforms" to promote development but focussing on the human aspect. During the 90s there have been significant transformations in the structure and quality of employment as well as in the distribution of income, results from advocating equity and the fight against poverty.

Thus, during the event a Panel was set up to address "The financial crisis, economic adjustment and answers in the field of labour", a very productive exercise.

 

The presentations of the Chilean Minister of the Treasury, Eduardo Aninat; the Vice-President of Planning and Administration of the Inter-American Development Bank, Paulo Paiva; the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America, José Antonio Ocampo; and the Managing Deputy Director of the International Monetary Fund, Stanley Fischer; as well as my own, offered an accurate analysis in order to place the ILO activities in an appropriate context.

The core of the Report of the Director-General at the Regional Meeting of the Americas was decent work and protection for all. The same was at the center of
the debates.

In his Report special attention is given to the situation of vulnerable groups in our societies (women, youths and children). The analysis underscores -in the light of globalization and the need for competitiveness- the urgency of reinventing the training systems so as to bolster productivity. The Director-General considers that the new contents of the Labour Administration and the functions of the Labour Ministers, in the framework of labour relations and the modification of the protection systems for workers, are of utmost importance for social progress in the region.

The Report emphasizes the urgency to generate more and better work opportunities for men and women and to ensure protection for all; pointing out that this is what our countries need if we want to build stable societies for the future. It also specifies that in order to promote social justice in the Americas, the ILO will focus on _together with its regulatory actions and technical cooperation- social dialogue.

The consolidation of democracy in the region demands a firm commitment of social justice, if one wants the men and women to foster the hope that future progress will be an accessible benefit for all, as measured by their own efforts. This implies that individuals, States and civil societies will have urgent tasks to perform and the labour

world will have a privileged space to mobilize efforts that are conducive to boosting economic and social progress.

The new Director-General of the ILO, the Chilean Ambassador Juan Somavía, who honored us with his presence at the event, stated that his election constituted a mandate to renew and modernize the Organisation, in line with its inherent values.

He addressed "four mandates" so as to outline the existing expectations as regards the present and future of the ILO:

a) The historic mandate is to ensure that basic labour rights, as set forth in the ILO Fundamental Conventions, are fully respected and that other rights, although not fundamental but which have come to light as a result of raising the social awareness of humanity, are upheld.

b) The political mandate consists of promoting the creation of a greater amount of quality jobs. In essence it is about forging more dignified work opportunities that undoubtedly goes hand in hand with the setting up of enterprises.

c) The ethical mandate is to do everything that is necessary to expand social protection coverage. In the region the larger part of the population is devoid of any kind of protection system with regards to the risks of unemployment, accidents at the workplace, illness or old age. This concern, together with rising infomal, precarious and unregistered employment, is one of the main reasons for the high degree of uncertainty and insecurity with which so many families live.

d) The organizational mandate is to contribute to the strengthening of social institutions, especially those of employers and workers and to encourage constructive dialogue between them, within a framework of innovating and cohesive tripartism. He stressed: "There is no influential social dialogue without strong employers' and workers' organizations. There is no effective tripartism without strong Labour Ministries that have modern labour administration structures. This is part of the identity that we have to develop and personally I believe that there are an enormous amount of initiatives ahead to strengthen the social actors".

 

The debate during the Regional Meeting was rich and mustered the participation of delegates and technical advisors, producing a solid document of Conclusions. This document will be published not only for what it stands for but also because it constitutes important orienting criteria for ILO activities in the upcoming years.

The various actions that are proposed can be gathered under 4 strategic objectives, which shall guide the work of the institution:

a) Promote compliance with the fundamental principles and rights at work.
b) Create more opportunities for women and men to have some income and respectable work.
c) Improve the efficacy of social protection and extend coverage to all.
d) Intensify tripartism and social dialogue.

For those of us who are accountable for organizing the services that the ILO renders to its constituents in Latin America and the Caribbean, the debates at the Regional Meeting and the Conclusions are understood as an expression of the demands and the uncertainties that we must try to satisfy in the framework of the guidelines of the Strategic Programme of the Organisation for 2000-2001. This, together with the permanent consultations that we forge with our constituents, could facilitate us to focus our work, permitting us to reach greater efficiency and efficacy when we offer cooperation and assistance, in line with the values embedded in our institutional mission.

It is worth noting that apart from managing the four strategic objectives in order to satisfy received demands, there are specific requests from the representatives of the American Member States, which from a regional perspective, deserve an innovative response. This would be to develop National Reports on both "The Labour and Social Impact of Adjustment Programmes" (that include the most relevant social indicators) and "Social and labour consequences of the integration processes".

Our constituents consider that said reports could be of vital importance for their States and the ILO to establish

 

constructive dialogue with the organizations of Bretton Woods and the Inter-American Development Bank. It would also be a vantage point in the framework of the Organization of American States and in the relations with relevant organizations of the multilateral system.

Of interest is the survey taken among the participants at the Regional Meeting in Lima. Ninety percent of those interviewed were of the opinion that the actions undertaken by multilateral financial organizations and multilateral cooperation in the social/labour field should be developed in coordination with the ILO.

Moreover, two-thirds pointed out that their countries need the support of the ILO in international trade negotiations. Eighty-three percent of the interviewees agreed that in the labour field it is essential to have a regional vision when resolving national problems.

These numbers are significant in themselves and even more so if related to the debates at the Regional Meeting.

I would like to applaud the decision taken at the Assembly to include in the Conclusions of the meeting, as an Addendum, a synthesis of the debate on Technical Cooperation.

This illustrates the importance that the countries in the region give to this function of the ILO. Thus, it merits from a regio-nal perspective an innovative response in order to develop said function in a more efficient and timely manner.

The Conclusions of the XIV Regional Meeting of the ILO Member Sates of the Americas will be published not only because of its own value but also because it will contribute to improving the management of the Office and the institutional progress of the Organisation.

By making the Conclusions accessible to a wider public, they would be aware of the advancement that we are making and during the XV Regional Meeting they would be in a position to determine the level of compliance that we would have reached. Evaluation is a crucial part

 

of the Strategic Programme that we intend to implement with more professionalism as time goes by.

For those of us who work in the ILO it is clear that in managing for results, promoted by the Director-General, dissemination of information is indispensable in order to obtain -among other benefits- the synergy that would allow us to reach the objectives that are put forward by our constituents and that we have taken upon ourselves to attain.

It is opportune to mention the excellent work that was performed by the specialists and administrative staff of the ILO at headquarters and in the region. The high technical quality and impeccable logistics that were produced facilitated the work of the participants at the Regional Meeting tremendously.

The level of involvement in the event, the quality of participation of delegates and advisors and their identification with the institution's ideals and the future of the ILO, illustrate that we who work for the ILO can count on their loyal collaboration to ensure the best possible actions, which we can and must perform, to promote social justice in our countries and communities.

Geneva, November 1999

Víctor Tokman
ILO Regional Director
for the Americas

Conclusions of the XIV Regional Meeting of ILO American Member States

1. The participants at this Meeting firmly support the four strategic objectives proposed in the Report of the Director-General of the ILO: to promote the application of fundamental principles and rights at work, to promote policies and programmes to create more and better employment opportunities for women and men, to enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all, and to strengthen tripartism and social dialogue. We also support the eight InFocus Programmes in the 2000-2001 Programme and Budget, approved by the International Labour Conference in June 1999. We also attach particular importance to incorporating gender and development perspectives in all ILO activities.

2. We attach great importance to respect for and the promotion of the ILO's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up, adopted by the Conference in 1998. We fully share the proposal to take concrete measures to create decent work in our region. Obtaining decent work is one of the most pressing priorities for the people of the Americas.

3. Economic policies must be balanced by policies of social justice, since economic growth is a necessary pre-requisite for creating decent jobs but not sufficient by and of itself. Further, economic policies should be applied which promote productivity growth and guarantee the necessary macroeconomic stability to stimulate savings and investment.

4. Enterprise development is important for employment creation, with due respect for social and labour rights. It is necessary for the State to generate an environment which is favourable to investment and the creation of new enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises; to ensure easier access to credit; and to foster increased productivity.

5. We agree that priority must be given to the gradual elimination of child labour within the framework of Convention No. 138 and, in particular, to the adoption of immediate actions aimed at the eradication of its worst forms.

 

To this end, we undertake to promote the ratification of Convention No. 182 at the earliest opportunity, preferably before the first session of the International Labour Conference to be held in the new Millennium (June, 2000), and to implement, with the assistance of the International Labour Office, programmes to achieve the objectives contained in that Convention. We wholeheartedly support the IPEC and urge that it continue to carry out tripartite initiatives and mobilize extrabudgetary resources.

6. We note with satisfaction the increase in the number of ratifications of ILO Conventions relating to fundamental rights at work. However, all necessary efforts must be made to ensure the application of, and effective compliance with, these Conventions. The ILO should, therefore, provide all necessary assistance to governments to encourage those that have not already done so to ratify the fundamental Conventions without delay, and those that have ratified them to ensure their implementation. Every effort must be made for these Conventions to gain broad acceptance amongst all sectors of society, through dialogue and participation, based on the analogy of Convention No. 144.

7. We are convinced of the importance of real social dialogue. There is a need to strengthen the social partners so that common solutions can be reached which will lend policies greater legitimacy and promote the fair distribution of the benefits of growth.

8. Governments should establish relevant tripartite mechanisms and eliminate any obstacles which hinder the safeguarding of freedom of association for both workers and employers.

9. The ILO should increase its technical assistance for the modernization and up-grading of Ministries of Labour and should strengthen training activities for workers' and employers' organizations.

10. In order to promote an equitable distribution of the benefits of growth, policies must be the result of broad tripartite social dialogue. This dialogue should lead to programmes to promote the creation of decent work and

 

security for all, which are supported by the social partners. The ILO should, at the request of its constituents, facilitate national and regional initiatives for social dialogue.

11. We believe links must be forged between economic and social policies and programmes at both the national and the international levels, with a view to promoting economic and social objectives. To this end, the ILO should establish constructive relationships with international financial institutions and economic organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank. We request that the Director-General of the ILO work with these organizations in an effort to identify concrete initiatives which aim at an integrated approach to the monetary, financial, social and labour dimensions of the global economy.

12. It is imperative to equip the social partners to participate actively in dialogue with the competent national authorities, and with regional and international financial institutions as regards economic and social policy issues. For this we request the technical support of the ILO. In this context, the ILO should identify joint projects with the pertinent multilateral institutions, which reflect the priorities of governments and employers' and workers' organizations.

13. We have taken note of the objectives endorsed by the Heads of State as regards processes of integration in our region, and we state our conviction that the creation of decent work should be one of the central objectives of these processes. We therefore hope that the ILO will support the work of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour and will participate actively, in collaboration with the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Development Bank, in developing and applying mechanisms which promote the incorporation of the labour and social dimension in processes of integration.

14. Appropriate educational and training systems are needed to improve the successful integration of the labour force. We must ensure that skill levels continue to improve so that workers and enterprises can adapt to the new challenges of economic globalization. The ILO should provide technical

 

support for the modernization and expanded coverage of systems of education and occupational training, and extend the activities of the ILO's Turin Centre and CINTERFOR.

15. Harmonious labour relations contribute to the success of enterprises; collective bargaining and the observance of the ensuing agreements further contribute to such success, leading to increased productivity, the equitable distribution of its benefits and improved working conditions. The ILO should continue to provide assistance in this area. It should also publicize good practices and experiences and provide information about successful enterprises.

16. Employment policies and programmes should be developed, which give priority to targeting the most vulnera-ble social groups, namely young people, women, the disabled and the unemployed. ILO support in this sphere should assist in the provision of information about past experiences and in the design, execution and promotion of such programmes.

17. Bringing the activities of informal sector workers into the formal sector should be a priority for the ILO.

18. Decent work does not just mean jobs which have adequate productivity and wage levels, but also that workers are protected against the risk of accidents. Such prevention is a social investment and has a sound economic basis. The ILO should continue providing support in this area.

19. In order to improve the current climate of insecurity it is indispensable to safeguard social security systems, to increase efficiency and transparency in the management of their resources, and to expand their coverage.

There should be a tripartite monitoring of the results of existing systems, and of their medium- and long-term prospects. The ILO should make this a priority.

20. It is a desirable objective to design social safety nets that include special measures for unemployed workers. It is necessary to look for the means to make such systems economically viable and to include training activities to facilitate integration

 

into the labour force. The ILO should promote the introduction of suitable systems and provide information about their potential cost and administrative feasibility.

21. There is a need to improve the ability of our countries to respond rapidly to crisis and emergency situations. The ILO should provide timely assistance as regards the design and implementation of a range of measures and programmes to alleviate the social repercussions of crisis and emergency situations.

22. It is important for the ILO to enhance its ability to generate information, labour market analyses and forecasts of the labour implications of the economic policies applied.

23. The representatives of Governments, workers and employers attending this Meeting undertake to meet again in the coming months, within the prevailing institutional framework in each country, to review jointly the implementation of the conclusions of the Fourteenth American Regional Meeting. This will make it possible to report on the effect given to these conclusions at the next meeting of Ministers of Labour of the hemisphere, to be held early in the year 2000 in the Dominican Republic.

 

Addendum

Technical Cooperation

1. We wish to emphasise the need for the ILO perspective to be permanently present in international organizations. This perspective will facilitate the inclusion of the often overlooked social and labour consequences of the adjustment programmes and policies advocated by these organizations. We are encouraged by the reference in the Director-General's report to the ILO's incorporation in permanent bodies of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. This achievement is praiseworthy and should be supported, broadened and extended to other financial institutions and their various bodies, with a view to ensuring greater coordination between them and the ILO.

2. The ILO should make its presence felt in these institutions on the basis of country reports on the social and labour impact of these adjustment programmes, and on the more lasting social indicators. The Office's participation in the preparation of these reports is indispensable. The resources needed for this complex but highly relevant activity, should figure in the ILO's technical cooperation budget for the region. These reports should be used and complemented by other actors concerned with the social and labour consequences on the processes of integration in which most of the member States in the region are involved.

3. Regarding the InFocus Programmes described in the Director-General's report, priority should be given to, and sufficient funds provided for, those relating to the promotion of the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up, to the development of small and micro enterprises and their institutional and economic environment, and the strengthening of the social partners. Assistance and advice to workers and employers through ACTRAV and AC/EMP is especially needed.

 

4. The above notwithstanding, it must be pointed out that many of the objectives set out in the Director-General's report concern the traditional responsibilities of Labour Ministries: adequate compliance with international labour standards, the incorporation of the informal sector in the modern sector of the economy, the problem of precarious employment, the promotion of a new culture of monitoring compliance with labour legislation, the need to assess the consequences of labour and social security reforms. The modernization of Labour Ministries appears as an objective in the final sections of Parts I and III of the Director-General's report. Nevertheless, none of the InFocus Programmes relate to this objective. To remedy this deficiency, the Government, employers' and workers' groups agree on the need to develop an additional programme to strengthen and modernize Labour Ministries, as an essential means of assisting Governments in the three above-mentioned strategic, priority and permanent activities.