INTER-AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT …
INTER-AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT (CIDI)
MEETING TO FOLLOW-UP ON THE OAS/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE RESDA-XI/doc.12/00 corr. 11/
XI INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 12 April 2000
OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
February 24-25, 2000
Washington, D.C.
FINAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Report 1
APPENDICES:
Appendix I Address by Mr. German Molina Valdivieso, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Chile and Chair Pro Tempore of the XI Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor 11
Appendix II Address by the Secretary General of the OAS, Mr. César Gaviria, to the Follow-up Meeting on Decisions from the 11th Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor 17
Appendix III Activity Report from Working Group I, “Economic Globalization and its Social and Labor Dimensions 23
Appendix IV Working Group II: Progress Report “Modernization of the State and Labor Administration: Requirements and Challenges” 29
Appendix V Presentation by the Chair Pro Tempore on Progress in the Implementation of the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar 35
Appendix VI Summary of the Report “Labor Standards in Integration Agreements in the Americas” – International Labor Office 43
Appendix VII Statement by Mr. John Sweeney, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Representing COSATE 51
Appendix VIII Proposed Labor Policy Areas Suitable for Technical Cooperation Programs 57
Appendix IX Measures taken by the OAS General Secretariat on Employment and Labor Issues 71
Appendix X RESOLUTIONS:
Progress Report of the Working Groups 81
Proposed Labor Policy Areas Suitable for Technical Cooperation 83
The Twelfth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor 85
Multilateral Project on the Labor Markets Information System 87
Promotion of Productive Employment, Micro-Enterprises and Small Business 91
Votes of Thanks 93
Appendix XI List of Participants 95
Appendix XII List of Documents Registered by the General Secretariat up to February 25, 2000 123
FINAL REPORT
BACKGROUND
The Meeting to Follow-up on the Decisions Adopted at the XI Inter-American Conference of Labor Ministers was held February 24 and 25, 2000, at the headquarters of the Organization of American States in Washington D.C. The meeting took place within the framework of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI). It was decided at the XI Inter-American Conference that this Meeting would be held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and this decision was subsequently approved at the XVI Special Meeting of the Permanent Executive Committee (CEPCIDI), held on October 29, 1999. CEPCIDI subsequently authorized the change in venue to Washington D.C. at its LVII Regular Meeting held on December 13, 1999.
PARTICIPANTS
The list of participants is attached as Appendix XI to this report.
PROCEEDINGS
The Follow-Up Meeting consisted of an inaugural session, four plenary sessions, and a closing session.
A. Inaugural Session
The inaugural session was held on February 24, 2000, at 10:00 a.m. The speakers included Germán Molina Valdivieso, Chairman Pro Tempore of the Conference, and Dr. Cesar Gaviria, Secretary General of the OAS.
Their speeches appear in Appendices I and II to this report.
B. Plenary Sessions
1. First plenary session
The first plenary session took place on February 24, 2000, at 11:00 a.m. The following decisions were made at that meeting:
a. Decision on the Agenda/Timetable
It was approved unanimously.
b. Decision on Working Procedure
It was decided that the agenda would be discussed in plenary.
c. Election of officers
The Labor Minister of Chile, Germán Molina, in his capacity as Chairman Pro Tempore of the Conference, served as chairman of the meeting. At the proposal of the Chair, and with the agreement of the meeting, the Labor Minister of El Salvador, Jorge Isidoro Nieto Menéndez, was elected to chair the second and third sessions by acclamation.
The meeting then took up the first item on the agenda/schedule: Report of the Coordinators of the Working Groups set up by the XI Conference. The Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Advancement of Peru, Fernando García Granara, made the first presentation, as the representative of the country responsible for coordination of Group I on Globalization of the Economy and its Social and Labor Implications. He gave an extensive, detailed explanation of the tasks assigned to this group, the work performed, and the results achieved. This presentation appears in Appendix III to this report.
Next the Costa Rican Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security, Bernardo Benavides, presented his report, as the representative of the country in charge of coordinating Group II on Modernization of the State and the Administration of Labor. During his comprehensive statement, he referred to the studies, analysis, and proposals of the Group, and highlighted the preparation and implementation of several horizontal cooperation projects. His statement appears in Appendix IV to this report.
2. Second plenary session
The second plenary session began at 2:30 p.m., when it took up the progress report on implementation of the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar, introduced by the Chair Pro Tempore, the Chilean Labor Minister.
In his report, the Minister pointed to the efforts made by the working groups to evaluate the impact of the so-called Asian crisis in the region, and indicated that the global economy should be examined from the standpoint of its cyclical nature, or in other words consideration should be given to changing circumstances that trigger phenomena which have a universal impact.
In his opinion, the work done by the Chair and the working groups was effective in that it brought out the comparative value of the various policies and the advances achieved by OAS member states in the area of globalization and its social and labor aspects.
He stated that the challenge was to identify innovations to be made to labor institutions, which, in order to be successful, require an adequate balance between the policies for change and the conditions required for these processes to guarantee real progress and protection of the basic labor rights of workers.
With regard to modernization of the state and the labor administration, this will require a new design, the introduction of new policies, an ongoing evaluation, and development of efficient social networks. Participation of labor and management in the context of specific policies would enhance the role of the Labor Administration in the area of regulation and enforcement.
He pointed to the fact that a group of countries had effectively identified the challenges and strengths of labor ministries and established specific areas and spaces for horizontal cooperation. Reference was made to the notable efforts made by ministries of labor in the Americas to modernize their institutions, and especially in Central America and the Caribbean.
He concluded by stressing the importance, relevance, and strong role that labor ministries should play in the globalized economy to enhance international competitiveness and ensure greater social equity. This presentation can be found in Appendix V to this report.
The following speaker, Daniel Martínez, a regional adviser of the ILO, made a summary presentation of the paper entitled “Labor Norms in Integration Agreements in the Americas.”
Mr. Martínez said that the document was prepared at the request of Group Nº 1, set up by the XI Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the Organization of American States (OAS). Its purpose was to identify the basic labor laws underlying the various integration agreements signed by members of the Organization, which could serve as a basis for including labor concerns in economic integration processes.
The paper discusses the various integration experiences in the Americas, with a view to identifying the labor rules and norms set forth in the different instruments.
The charters and other rules and regulations emanating from the various integration experiences currently under way in the Americas were studied, in addition to the inter-American instruments of the Organization of American States (OAS), which is also pursuing integration efforts in political and cultural spheres more than in economic and commercial areas. The document referred to appears as Appendix VI.
MINISTERIAL DISCUSSIÓN
The ministerial discussion began with the previous presentations. The Peruvian Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Advancement then proposed that the working groups continue their work for the specific purpose of pursuing development of the Viña del Mar Plan and of thereby facilitating inclusion of other relevant labor issues discussed as part of national agendas.
Argentina’s Deputy Minister of Labor, Employment, and Training of Human Resources, Jorge Sappia, referred to the excellent quality of the document presented by the ILO and said that it would be studied by MERCOSUR’s Group 10, which would then present its views on it.
He went on to speak of the need to strengthen and promote labor relations through collective bargaining, since this was an effective way to advance economic and social conditions among the labor force.
He indicated that his government was interested in fostering horizontal cooperation arrangements among countries.
The United States Labor Secretary, Alexis M. Herman, said it was a pleasure to welcome to Washington, D.C. the labor ministers of the Americas and their distinguished delegations, and members of international organizations.
During her statement she suggested that the meeting should produce the following three results: the continuation of the work being done jointly within the Organization of American States; the drafting of a document or report on the progress achieved in labor matters, for presentation at the next meeting of the Presidents of the Americas to be held in Canada; and, finally, development of a work plan containing specific projects that could be financed by international cooperation agencies.
Canadian Labor Minister Claudette Bradshaw indicated that she was in favor of continuing the work of this meeting through the work of the various groups.
The Brazilian Minister of Labor and Employment, Francisco Dornelles, congratulated the Chairman Pro Tempore on the preparatory work done for this meeting and highlighted the following four points he considered important: the essential need to modernize labor legislation in their countries; the need to intensify work on employment programs and policies; the need to step up efforts to implement labor certification programs; and the need for this forum to discuss the issue of the informal economy and seek ways to control the growth of this sector.
Guatemalan Deputy Labor Minister Roberto Rodríguez said that two employment programs were being carried out in Guatemala, “Long-Distance Labor Training” and “The Travelling School,” which were clear signs of the priority his country attaches to labor matters. He considered that it was important to adapt national laws to the conventions and agreements of the International Labor Organization, whose Labor Code is a basic statute. He said that other aspects of the labor market should be regulated by specific, more flexible regulatory instruments.
The Minister of Labor and Micro-Enterprises of Bolivia, Luis Vásquez Villamar, maintained that there was a link between productive employment and poverty, since when there is no productive employment, the poverty rate of countries rises.
He would therefore support the conclusions of the Working Groups and be in favor of continuing them. He also proposed that they take up the topic of productive employment. He ended his statement by saying that there were two different types of jobs in Bolivia, those of the formal and the informal sectors, and that among the activities pursued, measures should be directed to supporting the informal sector, and especially to generating productive, quality jobs in that area.
CEATAL President Daniel Funes de Rioja congratulated the labor ministers on having correctly identified the major problems facing the labor market. He believed that the labor market should be divided by types of work, since economies comprise both high technology and low technology enterprises, and the labor problems of the two are not the same. He indicated that the legal system of countries is extremely important and should be taken into account by labor ministers in their analyses. He said that his organization would like to be considered when it came time to formulate projects to be financed by international organizations.
3. Third Plenary Session
This session opened at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 25 with statements by AFL-CIO President and COSATE representative John Sweeny from the United States. He referred to the importance of having a dialogue with the labor ministers of the region, since the well-being of workers in the United States is linked to the fate of workers in the Americas. He indicated that world economic growth and investment had not benefited either the majority of the population or workers, and he stated that ILO standards should be linked to free trade treaties. He stated that respect for workers’ rights and practices was important for development and economic growth. He said that his organization was committed to efforts to relieve the debt of developing countries and he proposed that labor unions and Ministries of Labor should form an alliance to support efforts to modernize the ministries and strengthen the collective bargaining process and labor union freedoms. His presentation is transcribed in Appendix VII.
The third plenary session continued with a presentation of the document on proposed areas of labor policy that could be part of technical cooperation programs by the Chair Pro Tempore of the XI Inter-American Conference.
He began by saying that this was the second version of a document containing the observations of Working Groups I and II, along with contributions from the United States Department of Labor. He further stated that the paper took into account the measures proposed in the Viña del Mar Plan of Action, and included a brief summary of the contents of each of the areas dealt with in that document, as follows:
Employment and Labor Institutions; Collective Bargaining; Labor Relations; Occupational Education and Training; Systems for Protection of the Unemployed; Labor Information Systems; Compliance with Labor Regulations; and, Modernization of Labor Justice and Labor-Management Dialogue. The document in question appears in Appendix VIII.
Following the agenda for the meeting, the Director of the ILO Regional Office in Lima, Peru, Dr. Víctor Tockman, spoke next to comment on the document presented by the Chair Pro Tempore.
He reported that the ILO would work to build up the capacity of countries to comply with labor laws and standards. He stated that the ILO would assist efforts to modernize labor policies and to modernize labor ministries. He ended by saying that the ILO would maintain its commitment to the inter-American system of the OAS to support efforts at modernization by providing technical cooperation.
The Minister of Labor and Cooperatives of Trinidad and Tobago, Harry Partap, indicated that his country was prepared to adopt the labor standards but that it needed assistance in implementing the changes.
The next speaker, Gustavo Márquez, representing the IDB, congratulated the ministers on the work they had accomplished and said that the Bank could provide support to countries in their efforts to strengthen their labor markets and that it was particularly interested in specific policies that would produce concrete results in the following areas: child labor, in cooperation with the ILO; workers’ health and sanitary and safety conditions at the work place; labor mediation and collective labor rights. He added that once the Chair Pro Tempore and the Technical Council had defined which projects would be submitted to international organizations for financing, the IDB would invite them to a working meeting to determine lines of action for those projects that were in the Bank’s priority areas.
OAS Director of Social Development and Education, Benno Sanders, stated that his Organization gave priority to supporting the forum of labor ministers and the Chair Pro Tempore in following up on the plans of action determined by the Conference, and especially with regard to activities financed by CIDI, such as the following: the labor market information system; formulation and management of a productive employment policies and training for labor; policies for development of small enterprises, with a focus on microenterprises and the informal sector and youth enterprises. He said that a fund with support from the private sector had been created for this purpose. His statement appears in Appendix IX.
MINISTERIAL DISCUSSION
Deputy Labor Minister José Sappia of Argentina praised the Chairman Pro Tempore, Germán Molina, for the excellent report he presented, and said that it should be considered in the future work of the Ministers.
With regard to the document entitled “Aspects of Labor Policy,” he indicated that this new version reflected to a great extent the comments made by the Argentine delegation at the last meeting in Lima. However, he had the following observations to make:
On item 2, Collective Bargaining, d), reference was made to the basic information of companies, but there was no information as to the appropriate procedure in the case of high-level negotiations.
On item 4, Occupational Education and Training, it stated in the second paragraph that short-term contracts generate uncertainty and distrust, which is true, but this statement contradicts the suggestion appearing under 1 b) on modalities. Item 1 b) should be corrected to make it consistent with this statement..
Still on item 4, preference was given to public financing of training, in the form of “tax incentives,” “special incentives,” “training bonds with public financing,” under c) and “public sources” under g). This is not consistent with the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar, which promotes joint public and private financing (1 c).
System for Protection of the Unemployed. The title given to this area is different from what it was called in the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar (Section on “Working Groups”, 1), which referred to “Assistance Systems for Unemployed Workers”. This topic is one of the areas covered by Group I of the Conference, which was given the task of “preparing a report on the situation in the region, new initiatives … and formulation of useful criteria…” (Viña del Mar, idem). To fulfill this mandate, Group I decided to exchange experiences at its first meeting in Lima, June 1999, and “to ask the ILO for support in updating and evaluating these experiences.” The final report of the Second Meeting of Group I indicated “that the issue should be approached from an integral standpoint,” “that the financial problem is a complex one,” and that the Group should continue “compiling information and comparing experiences.” The document indicated the Group’s unanimous position that “it is necessary to have new institutions” (second paragraph), and it suggested as a possible formula “individual capitalization based on bipartite contributions” and a “common tripartite fund,” but not others, such as the exclusive financing of employers or the government, or a bipartite funding by the government and employers. The proposal actually goes well beyond what the Group has done, since it is still involved in compiling and analyzing experiences, and has not yet discussed the need for new institutions, and no progress has been made on modernization as suggested in 5b [meaning unclear].
In this area, the draft should stick to cooperation in compiling and analyzing experiences, and refrain from drawing conclusions that may eventually arise from the analysis which is still going on.
Under item 9 “Social Dialogue,” paragraph f), on the issue of training negotiators, reference is made first to the economy, thereby establishing a sort of order of priority. It would seem that training in the area of labor relations should take precedence over other areas.
The Minister of Labor and Employment of Brazil, Francisco Dornelles, expressed his recognition to the Chair Pro Tempore for the quality of the document. He went on to specify the areas of labor policy to which his government assigned priority in the context of technical assistance programs:
In the area of Employment and Institutionality, a study and proposal on norms and mechanisms to balance labor costs with incentives to create and maintain high quality jobs would be of particular interest. It would also be interesting to conduct a study of collective bargaining tools that would help preserve jobs during times of reduced productive activity.
As for Collective Bargaining, priority should be given to a study and proposed negotiating or bargaining mechanisms geared to the situation of the country and the variety of companies, and to a study and proposals for developing labor negotiators.
On Labor Relations, proposed programs to modernize labor organization and management in small enterprises are of interest, as is the performance contract salary system. These are considered to be innovative aspects that could improve the labor situation in small businesses.
In the area of Occupational Education and Training, programs for development of basic skills and training programs for unemployed workers from vulnerable segments of society are topics of special interest.
As for the System for Protection of the Unemployed, priority is assigned to a study of ways of linking monetary unemployment benefits with guidance and occupational training services.
With regard to Labor Information Systems, priority should be given to mechanisms for gathering and analyzing labor information, and to strengthening the analytical capacity of labor ministries to analyze the current or projected behavior of the labor market.
On the subject of Compliance with Labor Regulations, a minimum set of workers’ rights must be guaranteed, and so priority should be given to programs to promote the rights set forth by the ILO.
With reference to Modernization of Labor Justice, possible proposals to amend procedural rules to expedite labor justice system should be studied.
The area of Labor-Management Dialogue is linked to collective bargaining. Other topics could also be discussed in relation to this topic, to expand the circle of labor negotiators.
CEATAL Representative Daniel Funes de Rioja had the following to say. To advance small enterprises, we should look into reducing government bureaucracy and simplifying it, as this would create an atmosphere conducive to developing employment and growth of small businesses. The management sector believes that the systems should be coordinated, so that the informal sector is incorporated into the formal sector. Moreover, the labor justice system should be modernized, with a view to enhancing clarity and transparency in rules and regulations. He concluded by saying that integration should be accomplished on the basis of the actual situation, and that to eliminate the gap between the informal and formal sectors, the formal sector will have to be further developed.
The Deputy Labor Minister of Peru, Fernando García G., pointed to the importance of developing a labor information system to support the decision-making process in labor ministries. In this regard, he requested support for the SISMEL project.
The Guatemalan Deputy Labor Minister, Roberto Rodríguez, suggested that to regulate the labor market, mechanisms should be developed to make it possible to adjust labor rules and regulations to new practices in management and labor, to ensure that a balance between the two sectors is maintained.
Venezuelan Labor Minister Lino A. Martínez Salazar indicated that a practice of subcontracting was used in Venezuela as a way of evading labor contract rules, instead of using more effective labor mechanisms such as collective bargaining or negotiations. He proposed that this type of practices be abolished and requested inclusion of this topic on the agenda of the Working Groups.
With regard to the document, he stated that it focused primarily on the state, and that it should be reoriented so that it would reflect the labor interests of the participants in the labor market. Consideration should be given to the efficiency and effectiveness of organizations of employers and workers, to ensure that management does not look for ways to avoid protection for workers and that labor and trade unions fulfill their responsibilities.
4. Fourth Plenary Session
The fourth plenary session began at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, February 25, with a discussion on the Summit of the Americas to be held in Quebec, Canada in May of 2001.
Canadian Labor Minister Claudette Bradshaw indicated that efforts to modernize the state should continue. She suggested that the previous commitments of the labor ministers of the Americas should be evaluated. She believes that it is critical to find a way to achieve agreement on common problems affecting the environment, trade, and labor. Specific activities should be developed with international organizations, the private sector, and the labor sector. Labor ministers should indicate their areas of interest, so that they can be presented in Quebec. She further proposed that labor ministers should initiate a dialogue with Ministers of Foreign Affairs, to determine the priority topics to be discussed in Quebec in 2001.
The agreements and resolutions of the meeting were then discussed.
The Chair Pro Tempore of the Conference proposed two resolutions for adoption: one on continuing the work assigned to the Working Groups in the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar; and another on the Proposed Labor Policy Areas. To this end, the Advisory Council should be immediately convened to work out the final preparation of the technical assistance program envisaged in the Plan of Action.
The Deputy Labor Minister of Peru proposed consideration of the following two resolutions: one related to the Multilateral Project on the “Labor Market Information System (SISMEL),” to give official support for its financing by IDB beginning in the year 2000; and, another one on Promotion of Productive Employment and Small and Micro-Enterprises.
Grenada’s Minister of Legal and Labor Matters, Elvin G. Nimrod, expressed his interest in including the island states of the Caribbean in SISMEL. The chair informed him that his country was included in SISMEL.
The Chair Pro Tempore submitted a resolution to the effect that the XII Inter-American Conference of Ministers would be held in Canada in 2001, and paid tribute to the decision made by Bolivia and Ecuador to postpone their interest in hosting the upcoming Inter-American Conferences of Labor Ministers. This same resolution provides for the XIII conference of Ministers of Labor to be held in Brazil in the year 2003.
The Salvadoran Labor Minister made a proposal to the following effect: to congratulate Group I on their initiative to carry out the study of “Labor Regulations in Integration Agreements in the Americas” and the ILO for preparing it; to request that delegates take note of the document, and that countries be urged to send in their comments and views to the Chair Pro Tempore, in the next 30 days so that the chairman, with the support of the working groups, may present his recommendations to the XII Inter-American Conference of Labor Ministers. It was so agreed.
The Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security of Costa Rica proposed that a vote of thanks be given to the Chairman Pro Tempore, the Salvadoran Minister of Labor, the ILO, IDB, and the General Secretariat of the OAS for the work done and the accomplishments realized at the Meeting. These proposals were approved as resolutions, and are included in Appendix X to this Report.
Finally, the Chair Pro Tempore read to the plenary a letter sent to him from Dr. Laura E. Nuñez de Ponce, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Honduras and Chairman of the Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, CEPCIDI, in which she requests that the Chairman consult with the labor ministers of the member states regarding the advisability of establishing an Inter-American Labor Commission made up of political and technical officials in the countries. This Commission would have the task of preparing future ministerial meetings under CIDI, among other functions. The Chair Pro Tempore proposed to the plenary that it authorize the Chairman Pro Tempore to request the Chairman of CEPCIDI to provide more information on the legal implications, so that this issue could be discussed at the XII Inter-American Conference of Labor Ministers to be held in Canada.
5. Closing Session
Germán Molina, Minister of Labor of Chile and Chairman Pro Tempore of the XI Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, expressed his satisfaction at the results of the meeting and the contributions and efforts made by all the countries. He thanked Bolivia and Ecuador once again for their show of solidarity, congratulated the working groups and the ministers in attendance for the documents presented and the decisions made, and expressed his best wishes for the success of the next conferences to be held in Canada and Brazil.
APPENDIX I
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/SER.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE RESDA-XI/INF.11/00
ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN 16 February 2000
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
24-25 February 2000
Washington, D.C.
ADDRESS BY MR. GERMAN MOLINA VALDIVIESO
MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL PROTECTION OF CHILE
AND CHAIR PRO TEMPORE OF THE XI INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
OF MINISTERS OF LABOR
ADDRESS BY MR. GERMAN MOLINA VALDIVIESO
MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL PROTECTION OF CHILE
AND CHAIR PRO TEMPORE OF THE XI INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
OF MINISTERS OF LABOR
Ladies and gentlemen:
I would like first of all to extend a warm welcome to all of you and to acknowledge and express my appreciation for the contributions made to the Chair Pro Tempore by all of the Ministers and their teams throughout my term as Chair. I would also like to say how pleased we are to be meeting here at the headquarters of the Organization of American States to evaluate and continue our discussions and work on the topics established at the XI Conference of Ministers of Labor, that is, “Economic globalization and its social and labor dimensions” and “Modernization of the state and labor administration.”
As all of the Ministers and delegates present here today know, this meeting is being held pursuant to the mandates of the XI Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, held in Viña del Mar in October 1998, where, as a result of our deliberations, we agreed to hold a further meeting within a period of 18 months after the Conference to evaluate progress in performing the tasks agreed to at that time. Those tasks were entrusted to the two working groups established at the Conference, chaired by the Ministers of Labor of Peru and Costa Rica and assisted by the Ministers of Uruguay and Venezuela respectively.
Accordingly, under the agenda for our meeting, we will turn first to consideration and analysis of the work performed by Working Groups I and II, on “Economic globalization and its social and labor dimensions” and “Modernization of the state and labor administration,” respectively. The Ministers who so effectively coordinated these groups will present a report on progress in fulfilling the tasks entrusted to them at the Viña del Mar Conference.
The Chair Pro Tempore will then present, for the Ministers’ consideration, an account of the activities conducted to date in accordance with guidelines issued by the Conference. In the light of this experience, the Chair will attempt to provide an overview of processes observed in the region in terms of major labor policies being developed by the various countries within the framework of the Declaration of Viña del Mar, as well as future progress anticipated in this field.
Third, we will have an interesting presentation of a document prepared by the International Labour Organisation, entitled “Labor standards in integration agreements in the Americas.” This text has already been distributed to Conference participants in order to facilitate an informed analysis of the cumulative body of instruments developed over many years, in terms of positions and agreements addressing in various ways the social dimension of economic and labor processes experienced in the region. Based on the paper to be presented by the ILO we can assess the possibility of consolidating these instruments within a single text, which would undoubtedly constitute a contribution to current discussions on the social dimension of economic and labor processes.
On the basis of these presentations, we will then have an opportunity for initial discussions among the participants on the matters covered. We are certain that such a debate will be particularly productive in terms of the progress already made in these areas as well as new and ongoing challenges. The speed of economic, technological, and social changes underway in the region, and around the world, are constantly shaping the reality we must face, with tremendously varied effects. Constant attention is required to the kind of society that is emerging as a result.
Subsequently, the Chair Pro Tempore will present a document entitled “Aspects of labor policy proposed as potential bases for technical assistance programs.” The sole purpose of that document is to provide the Ministers with material for reference and consultation in their analysis of this subject. The text was initially analyzed by the two working groups at meetings in Costa Rica and Lima in 1999, and has been revised in an effort – hopefully successful – to reflect the diverse and relevant comments made at the aforementioned meetings. They have undoubtedly helped to enrich it.
Discussion among the Ministers following this presentation, and brief comments to be made on the document by specialists from the ILO, the IDB, and the OAS, as technical agencies, to share their views on key aspects of this question, should lead to a proposal identifying priorities that the Ministers may consider appropriate to adopt. On the basis of those priorities, the Chair Pro Tempore will convene the Advisory Committee referred to in paragraph 6 of the Annex to the Plan of Action of the XI Conference. According to paragraph 6 of that Annex, the role of this Advisory Committee will be to prepare a formal proposal for technical assistance to put resolutions adopted by the Ministers on this matter into practice.
As mentioned in the Annex to the Plan of Action of the XI Conference, the proposal is intended for presentation to the technical assistance agencies mentioned, the ILO, IDB, OAS, ECLAC, and others, for the purpose of obtaining their financial and technical support according to each of their particular spheres of activity and specialization.
The Conference participants will be kept continuously informed on the work of the Chair Pro Tempore and the Advisory Committee.
A decision concerning the site of the XII Conference of Ministers of Labor will also be made during this meeting, and we hope to achieve the widest possible consensus among the participants in that regard.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Since Viña del Mar, we have had the opportunity to experience firsthand the continuing importance of analyzing and identifying policies with which to face the social challenges of globalization and its effects in the economic, social, and labor fields. To meet these challenges, as well as those stemming from regional and subregional integration, it is essential to make effective progress in modernizing labor institutions, individually and collectively, and all aspects of labor relations, including constant improvements in our Ministries of Labor and our systems of labor justice, labor inspection, and training and vocational education, to mention only a few pertinent areas. Social Dialogue and efforts to strengthen stakeholders in the labor world also constitute a priority objective if we are to achieve socially sustainable results in the field of labor relations.
The working groups will undoubtedly find guidance in the results of our discussions that will enable them to design future activities and objectives for action.
We also trust that this Conference, as well as progress made by the working groups, will help to forge a consensus on the points a view that the Ministries of Labor in the inter-American system can convey to our heads of state and government on the occasion of our forthcoming Summit in Quebec, Canada, signaling a common vision of the vital issues of economic progress, equity, and social justice to be addressed at the Summit. In our opinion, that summarizes the fundamental meaning of what we have called the social dimension of globalization and the current world economic order.
APPENDIX II
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON DECISIONS OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
ADOPTED BY THE ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN RESDA-X/INF.14/00
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR 24 February 2000
24-25 February 2000 Original: Spanish
Washington, DC
ADDRESS BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE OAS, MR. CESAR GAVIRIA, TO THE FOLLOW-UP MEETING ON DECISIONS FROM THE 11TH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR
Ministers and Vice Ministers,
Representatives of COSATE and CEATAL,
Representatives of CARICOM, ILO, the World Bank and ECLAC,
Ladies and gentlemen:
On behalf of the OAS, I extend you a warm welcome to the Casa de las Américas. The presence of the principal national authorities for labor policy in this hemisphere can only strengthen the position of this Organization as the epicenter of dialogue and policy coordination among nations of the Americas.
About 15 months ago we met at Viña del Mar to begin work on the agenda of labor issues mandated to us by the Heads of State and Government at the Second Summit of the Americas. They entrusted the hemisphere's senior labor policy authorities with two particularly important areas of work: modernization of the state with respect to labor administration, and economic globalization and its implications for labor. The 11th meeting of the CIMT created two working groups that have been pursuing these issues over the past year.
In this meeting we shall be assessing how we are doing with this task, how much progress we have made, and how much work is left to be done. Such an assessment is important for strengthening this forum as a place for hemispheric coordination, and for giving this conference the political preeminence that it must have in our agenda, so that when we get to Quebec City we will have fulfilled the mandates of our Heads of State and Government. The great difference with the inter-American labor conferences of the past is that today a hemispheric integration process is in full swing in the economic, political and social spheres.
I want to begin my remarks this morning by reviewing briefly what has happened in our hemisphere since Viña del Mar and identifying the context in which we have had to work. Mr. Chairman, at the Viña del Mar meeting it was already clear, from the economic scenario then facing us, that the effects of the Asian crisis could plunge us into a recession, given the volatility of capital and the contagion effect, the waves of speculation and market over-reaction, the shortcomings of the international financial system and the lack of regulatory mechanisms. These factors have surely turned out to be the most perverse feature of globalization.
In fact there was a recession all over Latin America, but it was particularly intense in South America. Fortunately for us, we have emerged from the two crises of the 1990s in a stronger position than ever: our democratic mechanisms have been reinforced, there is greater transparency in our market mechanisms, economic agents have access to more information, and our supervisory and control mechanisms exert greater surveillance.
As with the previous crisis in the wake of the so-called tequila effect, our governments have had the courage to take corrective measures promptly. No one will deny that most of our countries took a serious and consistent approach to dealing with this crisis. Our governments showed the necessary political well, and our peoples accepted the implicit sacrifices.
Fortunately, what was a major setback in South America was not felt with the same severity in the world economy as a whole. The rapid recovery that is now underway in most of our economies owes a great deal to that fact, but it is due primarily to the successful reforms undertaken throughout our hemisphere over the last two decades.
Nevertheless, there were a number of clouds hanging over us at the end of the last decade. Economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean was close to zero, in contrast to the average rate of 3.2 percent that prevailed in the 1990s. The decline in output led to a reduction in the demand for labor by businesses. Countries of the region saw their unemployment rates rise from 8.0 percent in 1998 to 8.7 percent last year.
On the other hand, we must recognize that, even in the midst of this gloomy economic picture, our countries have managed to stay on the path of sound and responsible economic policies. And even in the midst of rising social demands, we have nevertheless been able to improve the climate of economic stability. Inflation has continued its downward trend, and for 1999 it stood at less than 10 percent in the region as a whole, for the second year running.
We have also seen vigorous growth in exports, which increased last year over 1998 and in fact surpassed the level they had attained when the Asian crisis broke out. Foreign investment, the principal monitor of international confidence in our policies, amounted to more than 70 billion dollars in 1999. Our region attracted 40.6 percent of all foreign direct investment in emerging countries, a share nearly equal to that of Asia, which received 44.3 percent. Our economies are therefore in a good position to begin the process of recovery during the present year, when ECLAC expects growth to be in the order of 3.6 percent.
During this period we also witnessed our countries' determination to continue the process of economic and commercial integration of the Americas. All the negotiating groups and advisory groups have thrown themselves wholeheartedly into this task, in an atmosphere of consensus building, and they have invested enormous quantities of human and technical resources in their work.
I would say that this is all happening in a setting much more favorable than that of the WTO, perhaps because we have more of a political balance and all countries are participating in the negotiations, and because small economies are receiving substantial amounts of technical assistance. But perhaps the most important thing has been the development of a parallel agenda of historical significance in the OAS, covering a broad range of very important social and political issues. In this agenda, labor issues have had great weight and it is worth noting that 34 member countries have committed themselves to move forward in protecting the basic rights of workers.
In this respect, today's meeting is very timely. During it, we will be reviewing the proposals from the working group on globalization, and will be giving close study to the document prepared by the ILO on "Labor Standards in Integration Agreements in the Americas". We shall also have the opportunity to discuss the working group's proposals on modernization of the state and labor administration.
I believe that with these documents and proposals we should try to identify elements that will allow us to make substantive progress in two areas. I am convinced that the labor authorities in our hemisphere are committed to a duel objective: pressing ahead with hemispheric integration, whether through the creation of the FTAA or by consolidating subregional agreements. At the same time, this objective must be compatible with the maintenance of appropriate and effective mechanisms for protecting the basic rights of workers.
How can we ensure this flexibility of labor markets without jeopardizing employment stability and wage levels, how can we ensure our international competitiveness without sacrificing our basic social security standards? This is perhaps the greatest challenge if we are to ensure that the welfare of our workers will not be undermined by globalization or by inter-American integration or by the growing phenomenon of interdependence.
You have a leading role to play in ensuring success for the process of hemispheric integration. Surely no one can doubt, Mr. Chairman, that it is becoming an increasingly complex and challenging matter to make the objectives of economic integration compatible with that of safeguarding the fundamental rights of workers. To meet this challenge successfully will require us to redouble our efforts and achieve even closer coordination among authorities in the economic and social spheres.
Minister Molina, ministers and authorities, I am optimistic that we will make progress along this route for the benefit of our workers and of all the citizens of our hemisphere. One element that nourishes this hope is the progress that the working groups have been making.
The reports submitted for your consideration at this meeting show gratifying progress towards our objectives. We have a sound diagnostic base and a broad range of proposals. We have a clear picture of where our labor policy institutions now stand and we have useful ideas for strengthening them, and for doing this in a concerted way, through speedy and diligent action. Our labor systems demand such action and our Presidents and Prime Ministers will be expecting to see evidence of it at the Third Summit of the Americas next year in Quebec City.
On the basis of the conclusions and proposals of the working group, the Chairman Pro Tem has prepared a document with proposals in nine specific areas that could be undertaken through projects of cooperation and technical assistance. They include proposals for strengthening employment and labor institutions. They include respect for the collective bargaining process, while helping it to adapt to differing circumstances. They include promoting labor relations that will foster confidence and cooperation. They reiterate the importance of coordinating training schemes between public and private entities. They recognize the need to make labor markets more flexible but at the same time to create instruments that will protect workers when they are unemployed or between jobs. They include a strong call for ratifying and enforcing the ILO conventions. In short, Mr. Chairman, we have before us a creative and challenging document. We must now ensure that it does not become a dead letter. It will undoubtedly be a most valuable input to your deliberations.
To this end I think we should initiate a dialogue between national representatives and international organizations to identify areas or issues where technical or financial support is called for in the short term, and to define which ones could be left to a later phase. Our commitment should be to approve a schedule for carrying out the tasks you have selected, if we are not to disappoint the expectations and faith that our businesspeople, workers, governments and institutions of civil society have invested in you.
Besides identifying specific areas or projects that could be undertaken in the short term, I believe we should continue our work on the methodological aspects of this process of dialogue. In this respect, we would propose that the next step in dealing with the Chair's document should be for individual countries to volunteer to coordinate one or other of the areas identified. The country coordinators will be responsible for pursuing the dialogue on these issues. International organizations should also lend their support to the country coordinators. Together, they will be able to examine and identify alternative mechanisms for reaching our objectives, as a complement to the specific cooperation projects that may be decided.
If they consider it appropriate, countries can continue to use the OAS as the Technical Secretariat of the CIMT for maintaining open lines of communication between the Chairman Pro Tem and the country coordinators in this area. I hope that in the not-too-distant future we will have the financial and human resources to offer greater support of a technical nature, although the ILO and the IDB have been doing a fine job in this respect. I am sure that other institutions such as ECLAC and CEATAL will do their own part in the future.
I do not want to conclude my remarks without recognizing the splendid service that you, Mr. Molina, have rendered. We understand that this is the last meeting that you will be attending. From our first joint efforts to prepare the meeting of Viña del Mar until the holding of this meeting, we have been fortunate enough to have a Chairman Pro Tempore who has exercised his role with a tremendous spirit of leadership, cooperation, dialogue and transparency. Your great technical command of the issues has allowed us to tackle an ambitious agenda and to make significant progress in its execution.
Let me close my remarks by declaring my conviction that this forum will continue to fulfill the difficult and very important role that our political masters have assigned it. In a world of globalization it is our workers who are the first to feel the impact of the newly opened international economy. Many times they are beneficiaries, but sometimes they can be affected by intense international competition. The impacts can never be completely predicted, but they can generate expectations, fears and uncertainties and even spark fierce resistance.
It is becoming clear that it is you who will be responsible for finding formulas, practices and mechanisms that will make the shift to a global economy less traumatic. The policies that you design and execute will determine whether these integration efforts will be successful, whether they will promote dynamic growth in our economies and create jobs and opportunities for all. We all know that we shall only achieve stable and durable economic growth if it is socially sustainable. And that means, as a start, respecting the rights of the men and women who are responsible for keeping our economies moving. Only in this way can we insure that economic and trade integration will translate into opportunities and benefits for all.
Thank you very much
APPENDIX III
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/SER.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE RESDA-XI/doc.8/00
ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN 16 February 2000
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
24-25 February 2000
Washington, D.C
ACTIVITY REPORT FROM WORKING GROUP I
“ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION AND ITS SOCIAL
AND LABOR DIMENSIONS”
Presented by Peru as Coordinating Country
ACTIVITY REPORT FROM WORKING GROUP I
“ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION AND ITS SOCIAL
AND LABOR DIMENSIONS”
Presented by Peru as Coordinating Country
In accordance with the agreements adopted at the XI Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the Organization of American States, held in Viña del Mar, Chile, in 1998, and its Plan of Action, Working Group I, entrusted with reviewing the subject “Economic globalization and its social and labor dimensions,” has held technical meetings in Lima and other activities and joint actions with the participation of our countries and various international agencies.
The premise of the Group’s work and proposals is that the social impact of economic globalization and its effects on labor have been evident in each of our countries, and call for a joint effort to identify positive measures that can be taken domestically and internationally on the basis of prior experience.
The subject Economic globalization and its social and labor dimensions was divided into four subtopics:
1. The social dimension of integration processes.
2. Transformations in the structure and operation of labor markets and labor laws.
3. Training and vocational education.
4. Unemployed workers’ assistance systems.
These four subtopics were reviewed at two technical meetings, which were held in Lima, Peru, in June and December 1999, and were organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Peru as Group Coordinator.
In view of the interest shown by the representatives of the countries and international organizations in addressing these topics, it was agreed that the work would be conducted with the participation of all representatives in attendance, enabling them to gain knowledge of, and actively take part in discussing, the subtopics and decisions to be adopted.
For each of the subtopics, the Group agreed to appoint a rapporteur to identify central areas of interest indicated by the participants, with a view to guiding the discussions, ideas, and projects towards specific action in priority areas.
This methodology of work has had the following results with respect to each of these four subtopics:
SUBTOPIC ONE:
THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF INTEGRATION PROCESSES
The processes of integration have an economic component, shaped in part by economic globalization, that calls for specific strategies in our countries. The existence of, and interest in, integration processes have been reflected in regional and subregional agreements that provide a basic framework of guiding principles in our region, in addition to the general framework of fundamental principles and rights contained in the declarations of the International Labour Organisation and the labor regulations of each country.
Within this context, the work of the Ministries of Labor has been significant in terms of monitoring compliance with labor standards, establishing information systems to more closely synchronize supply and demand, promoting training, and addressing the problems of groups vulnerable to market forces. The development of a common agenda based on the impact of globalization on employment and the need for social and labor protection is a consequence being addressed by the Ministries of Labor and international cooperation agencies.
At the Group’s request the International Labour Organisation prepared a thematic analysis of the agreements, conventions, and other international instruments on integration that establish principles in labor matters and are in force in the region.
The paper entitled Labor standards in integration agreements, which was presented at the Group’s second technical meeting last December, summarizes and enumerates the labor agreements and explains the basis for the international commitments undertaken by our countries.
SUBTOPIC TWO:
TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF LABOR MARKETS AND LABOR LAWS
Significant in this area have been the processes of labor reform and increased labor flexibility that have been taking place in countries of the region, with effects on productivity and competitiveness.
It is important for the Ministries of Labor to promote agreement on mechanisms for labor negotiations to protect workers and businesses from an economic as well as social standpoint, while at the same time transferring responsibility for self-regulation to the stakeholders themselves (employers and workers), particularly in the sphere of collective bargaining.
With that aim, the Group agreed to compile experiences in the area of labor reform that have been reported by countries in the region. The International Labour Organisation has conducted a comparative analysis of these experiences.
As an issue involving a continual flow of information from the countries, not only will the Group’s activities provide input for the report of the Chair Pro Tempore to the Ministers of Labor, but it has also been proposed to hold an international technical seminar or meeting to provide information for the formulation and analysis of labor policies and strategies in the region, and more specifically, to facilitate the presentation of cooperation projects to the multilateral organizations for consideration.
SUBTOPIC THREE:
TRAINING AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
This topic is receiving priority attention as a strategic instrument of active employment policy for development of the economy, the labor market, competitiveness, and employability in the countries of the region.
Progress in education and learning, continuous training for workers, and the certification of labor skills constitute the course of action being followed by the Ministries of Labor to fuel growth in the labor market and contend with the consequences of globalization, in terms of technological innovation, continuous adaptation to evolving skill requirements, and the transformation of professional training to keep pace with market requirements. Special attention is given to various disadvantaged groups to promote their integration into the market.
The Group agreed to compile information on experiences in the region in the field of professional training. For that purpose it obtained the assistance of the Inter-American Training Center of the International Labor Organization (CINTERFOR-ILO), which helped to produce the report Professional training in Latin America and the Caribbean and progress with the concept of labor competencies. The report was presented at the Group’s second technical meeting in Lima and represents a contribution to current work on this topic and related trends in the region.
To examine the work conducted by CINTERFOR-ILO, a multilateral workshop on training policies under the Productive Employment Project was held within the framework of the Organization of American States, under the Chair Pro Tempore. During that workshop, different experiences were analyzed and recommendations and conclusions were formulated in accordance with the Working Group’s guidelines.
In addition, the countries of the region have been engaging in horizontal and multilateral cooperation in the area of professional training in order to review training systems and institutions and their linkage to the labor market.
SUBTOPIC FOUR:
UNEMPLOYED WORKERS’ ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS
There are various forms of assistance and protection for the unemployed, in terms of regulation, special support programs for particular groups, or concrete promotion and assistance activities.
The Group agreed to prepare a summary of experiences in the area of unemployed workers’ assistance and proposals to promote it, and has been collecting relevant information from each of the countries. This matter has met with interest from the countries and active participation by the Ministries of Labor.
The subject must be addressed in a comprehensive manner, so as to cover active and passive employment policies, financing and executing programs whose components include the improvement of information services, mediation, job searching, guidance, employment counseling, and re-integration into the market, as well as a needed review of professional re-adaptation.
A multilateral workshop on unemployed workers’ assistance, directed by the Chair Pro Tempore, was held within the framework of the Organization of American States. The results of that workshop provide an important contribution to the work of the Working Group and the Ministerial Meeting.
OTHER TOPICS
Areas of interest for consideration by the Ministerial Meeting
During the review and analysis of topics, a number of ideas were developed for consideration at the meeting of Ministers of Labor. These ideas have been expressed in the form of questions and are included in the Annex to the final report of the Group’s Second Technical Meeting entitled “Areas of interest for promotion and follow-up in connection with the subject ’Economic globalization and its social and labor dimensions.’”
Areas of labor policy proposed as potential bases for technical assistance programs
Cognizance was taken of the document prepared by the Chair Pro Tempore. Comments in that connection reflected the countries’ interest in ensuring that the modernization process is based on social dialogue and appropriate, balanced negotiation between workers and employers on the basis of national practice, an approach which should characterize labor market transformation throughout the region.
Technical Cooperation Proposals
Proposals were received from the United States to finance cooperation projects in the areas of fundamental rights and social security systems.
A similar offer was made by the representative of Canada in the area of mediation and conciliation.
During 1999, various bilateral and international cooperation activities have been conducted among our countries, resulting in technical visits, the exchange of information, or joint participation in projects related to the above topics. Working Group I has worked to promote and channel these initiatives to ensure that the topics remain relevant and timely.
APPENDIX IV
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/SER.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE RESDA-XI/doc.7/00
XI INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 2 February 2000
24-25 February 2000 Original: Spanish
Washington, D.C.
WORKING GROUP II: PROGRESS REPORT
“MODERNIZATION OF THE STATE AND LABOR ADMINISTRATION:
REQUIREMENTS AND CHALLENGES”
(Presented by Costa Rica as coordinating country)
WORKING GROUP II: PROGRESS REPORT
“MODERNIZATION OF THE STATE AND LABOR ADMINISTRATION:
REQUIREMENTS AND CHALLENGES”
(Presented by Costa Rica as coordinating country)
Pursuant to agreements reached at the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the Organization of American States, held in Viña del Mar, Chile, in 1998, specifically those concerning the creation of two working groups which are contained in the Plan of Action annexed to the Declaration of Viña del Mar, Working Group II, “Modernization of the State and Labor Administration,” has made considerable progress through two working meetings held in San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica, with the participation of high-level representatives of all ministries of labor comprising the Working Group.
Although the Plan of Action annexed to the Declaration of Viña del Mar specifies that the working groups are to operate by taking up issues through working sub-groups, the Group II Coordinator presented a procedural guide for consideration by the working group’s participants that would enable all essential points that were to be taken up by the sub-groups to be discussed in the working group, thus eliminating the need for separate sub-groups and assisting in prioritizing and systematizing discussion in the group to facilitate agreement and consensus among the participants.
This procedural guide, designed on the basis of issues classified by subject area, did not at the time attempt an exhaustive analysis of the situation, of all problems that might arise, or of the particularities of the various labor administrations of the countries. Instead, the objective was to enable strategic aspects to be identified and analyzed that would guide the modernization processes being undertaken by the ministries of labor of the Americas. The work of the Group would thus be as speedy and effective as possible by confining itself to basic problems involved in the different subject areas.
As one of the main concerns of Group II Coordinator was that there were points which might be discussed ad infinitum, it was decided to select only those considered by all participants to be key points of common interest, so that the meetings would produce working projects advantageous to all, and not a document which was merely the result of an academic exercise.
Accordingly, the following topics were discussed at the first meeting, held in April 1999:
1. General labor administration topics (political arena, legal arena, organizational structure, human resources, material resources, participation by representatives of social groups)
2. Inspection system
3. Information and statistics systems
4. Labor and the justice system: mechanisms for resolution of disputes prior to recourse to the judicial system
5. Dialogue between labor and management, consensus-building, and collective bargaining
6. Integration of special collectives into the labor market
Resulting from the discussion was a determination of specific needs, suggestion of objectives to meet those needs, and indication of activities required to achieve the objectives. At this point, countries with competitive advantages offered to collaborate through specific horizontal cooperation projects. Ten were specified, in addition to two vertical cooperation projects.
The November 1999 meeting was held to follow up on the problems identified and solutions suggested in April.
Among the main objectives of the second meeting were:
1. To define and take official note of the proposals by the offering countries in connection with the projects enumerated in the Final Report of the First Meeting.
2. To obtain the specific commitments required for the execution of cooperation projects and to follow up on those being executed.
To accomplish these tasks, the representatives of countries offering cooperation projects were asked to present them with no loose ends, and the receiving countries to formalize their commitments.
Finally, agreement was reached on the details of six horizontal cooperation projects on the following topics:
1. Training workshop on preventive mediation, offered by Canada
Planned for March 2000, in San Jose, Costa Rica
2. Seminar on organizational restructuring, offered by Canada
Planned for March 2000, in San Jose, Costa Rica
3. Seminar on individual and collective (institutional) performance incentive and evaluation policies for public servants, offered by Chile.
To be held in the Dominican Republic, on February 24, and 25. The MATAC-ILO project will cooperate in organizing the seminar.
4. Project for the administrative and functional reorganization of Ministries of Labor, offered by the Dominican Republic.
This project has been conducted in the Dominican Republic for the last 20 months, with technical assistance from the MATAC-ILO project, and the National Office of Personnel Administration. Thus far, the structure and functions of the Department of State for Labor have been reorganized and 149 officials have been inducted into the administrative career system.
In this connection, the Ministries of Labor of Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua have begun direct negotiations with the MATAC-ILO project for execution of this project.
5. Project to automate labor union and association records and related services, offered by the Dominican Republic.
With the technical assistance and sponsorship of the MATAC-ILO project, a consultant was hired to redesign and develop the necessary software, to be completed in December 1999. The software should be installed in February and March 2000.
6. Modernization of labor mediation systems, offered by the MATAC-ILO project.
This need had already been identified at the meeting held in April and is being addressed with the technical assistance and sponsorship of the MATAC-ILO project, with the following results:
❖ Approval of the model structure and functions for public employment systems
❖ Design, development, and installation of software in three countries of the region. The software was installed in the countries of the subregion in December 1999
❖ Following the evaluation period and adjustments to the program, the seminar-workshop will be held by March 2000, in Guatemala
On the basis of the comments and suggestions made at the Second Meeting, it was further agreed to revise the occupational safety and hygiene project presented by Costa Rica and El Salvador for presentation within the framework of the IDB/SIECA/USAID Program for Modernization of the Labor Market, for financing.
As regards the document presented by the United States “Proposals for Areas of Labor Policy that Could Be Addressed by Technical Assistance Programs,” it was considered essential that the document be made available to all governments for discussion at the next Conference of Ministers, to be held in Washington, D.C, on January 13 and 14, 2000. The Group had the opportunity to review the document and made some observations to be taken into account when the specific project or projects are formulated.
One of the most important achievements of the Group II meetings was to discover that all countries were willing to contribute in one way or another to the development of their fellow countries through horizontal cooperation.
Thus during the working sessions, subject areas for cooperation were proposed. The Ministry representatives in the Group offered to participate either as offering and receiving countries, and at the same time an approach was made to the representatives of the multilateral cooperation agencies in their capacity as observers of the meeting so that, to the extent they are able ,they might offer their technical or financial support, as they had done in the case of the Project for Modernization of the Labor Administrations (MATAC-ILO) which is supporting the execution of several of these vertical cooperation projects, and the IDB/SIECA/USAID Program for Modernization of the Labor Market, which is supporting the abovementioned project on safety and hygiene.
Although these agencies are responsible for large projects, a series of activities are being negotiated in a more streamlined and expeditious fashion to implement very specific projects. This process also contributes to optimal use of the resources dispersed widely throughout the region.
The Group II Coordinator has sought to tap the great potential of horizontal cooperation by promoting working procedures such as those indicated in preceding paragraphs. For this reason, the continued existence of the working groups should be considered not just as a part of the Conference of Ministers but also as an ongoing means to seek enhancement of the conditions in which the Ministries of Labor of the Americas do and will find themselves in confronting the challenges of globalization and their new role in it.
Appendix v
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OAS/Ser.K/XI.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE RESDA-XI/doc.9/00
ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN 8 February 2000
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
February 24-25, 2000
Washington, D.C.
PRESENTATION BY THE CHAIR PRO TEMPORE
ON PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
PLAN OF ACTION OF VIÑA DEL MAR
PRESENTATION BY THE CHAIR PRO TEMPORE ON PROGRESS IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN OF ACTION OF VIÑA DEL MAR
INTRODUCTION
Mr. Germán Molina
As I mentioned in my opening remarks, and having heard the presentations from Working Groups I and II, chaired by our colleagues from Peru and Costa Rica, I should like to present a summarized overview of the most notable progress made in this period under the guidelines adopted in the Declaration and Plan of Action of the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, held in Viña del Mar in October 1998.
Firstly I should like to give special mention to the efforts of the working groups, which held discussions in both Lima, Peru, and San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica, leading to important results, to which we will now refer in detail as follows:
GLOBALIZATION OF THE ECONOMY AND ITS SOCIAL AND LABOR DIMENSIONS
We have had very direct experience in this period with the process of interaction inherent in the global economic order to which our societies belong. In fact, beyond the already familiar dimensions of competitive trade, rapid technological innovation, and the effects of economic, social, and institutional transformation this economic order has produced both at the global level and in individual countries, we have witnessed, especially in the past year, a particularly relevant process which has resulted in important lessons for us all in terms of economic, social, and labor policy. I refer to the impact on the region of the so-called Asian Crisis, which presented us with the challenge of managing our economies and labor policies within a framework of severe adjustment. The importance of this development lies in the fact that we have been shown that the global economy must be examined with particular emphasis on its cyclical nature; that is, the fact that the global economy is subjected to changing phenomena which have an effect in global terms. Even though all economic models are characterized by periods of instability, in this particular case, due to the fact that economies are all essentially interconnected, the above-mentioned impact takes on a particularly pronounced universal dimension. Although the effects were not the same in all countries in the region, in many cases they led to a state of affairs which affected the processes of economic growth and the progress being displayed by many of these countries at the time, producing unemployment and other social effects which still persist.
The aforementioned events have resulted in a wealth of literature on the magnitude of these effects and also on the policies to be pursued in order to achieve economic and social recovery in the region, policies which involve not only national decisions but also decisions at the international, regional, and subregional levels, given the global nature of the process.
In summary, the issues outlined above confirm the correctness of our having geared our efforts, both in the groups established and in our individual countries in general, towards arriving at a comparative profile and evaluation of the various policies developed by the states in the region on the question of globalization and its effects on the social and labor dimensions. This should allow us to identify policy guidelines which will serve as points of reference for successfully confronting the various challenges and processes with which we are currently faced and those which we will face in the future.
Thus, as we have heard, Group I discussed a series of conceptual issues relating to its designated subject matter, as well as possible innovations resulting from these conceptual analyses and individual national experience. These innovations should be considered in the different areas of labor policy on its working agenda. Inter alia, questions relating to employment and the labor market, as well as labor relations in general, within the framework of socioeconomic policies currently pursued in individual countries, constitute areas of special interest.
In these matters, as well as on issues related to the analysis of globalization and its effects on social and labor dimensions, the guidelines we laid down in the Declaration of Viña del Mar clearly should constitute our main criteria for action. In particular, I refer to the basic criterion embodied in the Declaration, in the sense that, in their conceptual and practical design, both economic policy and social and labor policy must reconcile the protection and promotion of fundamental workers’ rights and, above all, the objective of workers’ progress and well-being, with the requirements of sustained economic growth according to the demands of the global economy. Growth--a basic condition of economic and social development in the region--and the need to adapt to the new paradigms of production and services will be socially sustainable only if based on the conviction that its results produce equity and increasing well-being for citizens overall. We must never lose sight of the fact that the driving force of our actions must always be the well-being of the individual, as the ultimate focus of our public policy goals.
Hence the importance of visualizing how these policies are balanced in each individual case, so as to reconcile the important interests involved, in such a way as to produce socially sustainable economic development.
The challenge is therefore to identify innovations in labor institutions which, as a condition of their success, focus on a proper balance between policies that provide for the adaptability required by the production and service sectors as a whole, within the framework of international economic interaction, and conditions ensuring that these processes guarantee real prospects of progress and protection of core labor rights for workers.
In particular, it is essential to know how to cope with periods of crisis. Let us focus on the young, on female heads of household, on persons with disabilities and minorities, who are particularly vulnerable, and on sectors subjected to economic and technological reconversion as a result of the very dynamism of technological change and of production systems in general.
Modernization of our labor institutions implies consideration of both individual and collective labor relations. In terms of collective labor relations, ILO Conventions 87 and 98 constitute fundamental standards for achieving the aforementioned aims. In the area of individual rights, obviously the relevant standards are contained in the series of conventions dealing with core principles (such as Conventions 29, 100, 105, 111, and 138), which generally deal with preventing forced labor, discrimination, and child labor.
In addition, this working group has drawn attention to the mounting importance of professional education and training. The need for effective policies to strengthen the institutional framework so that it may produce results in professional education and training that meet the requirements of employers and workers has been identified as a major goal. It has been pointed out that this will lead to a higher degree of employability as workers attain knowledge and multiple skills. This will also represent a powerful lever in achieving progress in the fight against poverty and social exclusion and an effective tool in ensuring that individual worker productivity is reflected in higher income levels.
The series of policies relating to protection for the unemployed constitutes a further area of great importance. In a world in which workforce turnover and mobility have become the general rule in many sectors, these are issues which must be addressed promptly. Instituting such programs is no easy matter. They involve costs, there are many different formulas with regard to their administration, and these are all issues which have to be resolved. Consequently, we will have to study the most successful experiences and the best formulas and analyze their potential implementation in the light of the particular circumstances in individual countries in our region.
The working group on globalization has also raised concerns about "atypical" hiring practices, such as subcontracting and employment agencies, as well as different types of employment, such as telecommuting, which has become increasingly common, above all in industrialized countries. All of these practices are also becoming common in relatively less developed countries.
Against this background, it is essential to develop creativity so as to cope with the challenges arising from these new labor approaches and swiftly implement the policies and innovations necessary to bring about appropriate regulations to ensure that these new labor practices are conducted in line with workers’ core labor rights, especially those reaffirmed by the 1998 ILO Declaration.
With regard to the above-mentioned issues, it has been requested that the ILO later present its interesting document entitled “Labor Standards in Integration Agreements in the Americas.”
This document was requested from the ILO by Working Group 1 on the occasion of its meeting in Lima. In response to this request, the ILO conducted a comparative study of the different integration processes in the region and the different instruments and labor standards of an international nature established as a result of these processes, as well as of the labor standards included in the basic texts of our inter-American system.
The joint examination of these texts has produced some evidence of common standards which all, or almost all, countries involved have incorporated into their respective international and, in some cases, domestic law.
Although differences can be observed as to the formulation of these international instruments, it is no less certain that they all contain repeated reference to workers’ core labor rights, the need to improve working conditions and living standards, and the need to strive for growing productivity, innovation, and quality, among other aims.
On the basis of this study, we could consider devising a hemispheric strategy to be embodied in a joint text laying down the objectives of economic development with social justice and equity.
If we were in agreement on this idea, we could initiate an exchange of views as to the possible aims, content, and substantive provisions of such a text, the degree to which it would be binding, what type of instrument would be adopted, and what the implications would be for each of the countries in the region.
You have the text provided by the ILO. We are hoping for an open and positive discussion of these proposals.
I cannot conclude my report on the work of Group 1 without expressing my very special thanks to Minister Pedro Flores Polo of Peru for his notable efforts, his hospitality, and the major coordination work undertaken to facilitate these talks, and to Vice Minister Fernando García Granara, who has played a leading role in directing the work of the group. I would also like to thank Uruguay, acting as Vice Chair, as well as each and every member of the group for their important contributions.
MODERNIZATION OF THE STATE AND LABOR ADMINISTRATION
It is no less important that we ask ourselves what sort of labor administration systems we have and need to have in order to cope successfully with the design and implementation of policies, ongoing evaluation, efficient social network systems to accompany the modernization of ministries, social participation, and, among the more specific policies, how to make the decisive role of labor administration systems more effective in terms of regulation and, in particular, in terms of legal oversight.
Equally important is the support we can give to promoting a labor court that will provide legal certainty and effective and expeditious proceedings.
It is also essential to make progress in the design of concrete forms of social participation and dialogue, whether this be via consultation at the company, sectoral, or national level, in fora which may or may not be institutionalized, either bipartite or tripartite, but which definitely incorporate society into all major development endeavors.
The issues relevant to this subject were dealt with by Group II, which addressed the topic “Modernization of the State and Labor Administration: Requirements and Challenges.”
Thus, in compliance with the agreements reached at the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the Organization of American States, held in Viña del Mar, Chile, in 1998, the aforementioned Working Group II was created and entrusted with the topic “Modernization of the State and Labor Administration," and Costa Rica was entrusted with its coordination.
As indicated by the report furnished by the coordinating country for this working group, the group has made notable progress in its task at two meetings held in San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica. These were attended by representatives from each of the ministries of labor participating in the group.
The results achieved are reflected in the formulation of six concrete projects involving horizontal cooperation. These are open to participation by all ministries attending this Conference, are to be implemented as from this year, and are characterized by their high degree of relevance to the issues entrusted to this group. The projects deal with the following areas: (i) preventive mediation; (ii) organizational transformation; (iii) incentive policies and evaluation of public officials; (iv) administrative and functional reorganization of ministries of labor; (v) automation of union registration; and (vi) modernization of labor mediation systems.
In the light of these results, allow me to draw special attention above all to the leadership of Costa Rica and its Ministry of Labor in the coordination of Group II. My colleague, Minister Victor Morales, and his Vice-Minister, Mr. Bernardo Benavides, together with a high-level technical team, succeeded in focusing on the issues entrusted to this Group in an innovative and effective manner, deserving of our highest recognition.
In addition to this leadership, I should like to give special mention to the results-oriented methodology employed by Group II. They opted for a practical focus which could do no other than produce concrete results at the end of the day. It is plain for all to see that this methodology has been successful, as it has produced a project agenda which will undoubtedly be completed successfully, given the effort and capability of this group in performing its mandate.
Thirdly, particular attention should be drawn to the degree of cooperation demonstrated by the countries involved in the work entrusted to them by the Conference of Ministers and the Plan of Action annexed to the Declaration of Viña del Mar. This is a group of countries which identified their challenges and strengths swiftly and effectively, concentrated on studying those challenges and their causes, and then went on to establish concrete opportunities and areas for horizontal cooperation. The lesson is clear: there is considerable room for horizontal cooperation among our countries. Horizontal cooperation may take place among countries and may be complementary and complemented by technical assistance policies at the inter-American level. These policies will subsequently be identified in the session devoted to the subject at this Conference.
It is within this framework that I should like to call upon ministers to reflect on one of the conclusions proposed to us by Costa Rica in its report on the results of Working Group II, that is, the potential of institutionalizing working groups to define specific areas for horizontal cooperation and viewing this institutionalization as a possible improvement to the Plan of Action annexed to the Declaration of Viña del Mar.
Put another way, the high level of diversity in the institutional development of our ministries, far from constituting a weakness, may be viewed as one of our great strengths, since on the basis of this diversity we could explore and identify new and relevant areas of complementarity and technical cooperation.
The last conclusion to be drawn from the results provided by Group II relates to the importance and relevance of the role to be played by the ministries of labor in the context of globalized economies, technological change, and the search for higher levels of social equity and integration. There will be no increase in the international competitiveness of our countries or higher levels of social equity without the vigorous participation of our ministries of labor.
Modern and stable labor markets are not only the result of macroeconomic equilibrium but also the product of regulations, guidelines, and policies requiring labor expertise. Moreover, this predominant role will not be a matter of predestination, guaranteeing our institutions a stellar role in the new world order. On the contrary, this role will have to be earned by virtue of ongoing and consistent innovations, both organizational and functional.
Lastly, and in relation to this very issue, I should like to draw special attention to the notable efforts being made by all ministries of labor in the region in terms of institutional modernization in different areas, especially by those of Central America and the Caribbean. The results presented by Group II to a large extent reflect the unrelenting efforts of the latter to achieve higher levels of functional excellence. They constitute a good example of the skills that can be harnessed through cooperation and close and systematic joint efforts. We congratulate them and pledge our support for these much-needed and well-aimed efforts.
We trust that this experience will become a highly important tool in the development of quality public policy which can be presented as the result of the adoption by those countries of “the soundest labor administration practices in the region.”
I should like to thank the ministers for their cooperation and their contributions thus far, and to reiterate our congratulations to those who conducted the work of both groups.
I should also like to recognize the contributions of the International Labour Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank. In fact, the ILO has provided ongoing technical support to the working groups, as well as to their respective chairs, and has supplied us with high-quality technical documents for discussion. These documents constitute valuable contributions to the body of knowledge on these issues in the region. In turn, the IDB has implemented highly useful specific cooperation projects and these will be of equal value when it comes to formulating new recommendations in terms of labor plans and public policy as different options in the context of a broader inter-American cooperation plan. Finally, I must clearly recognize the efforts of our own organization, the OAS, which has welcomed us once again, and whose officials have provided us with constant support. We owe special recognition to the work of the Technical Secretariat, whose advisers have cooperated with us in an extremely efficient manner and facilitated a task which was at times complex and difficult, in particular Mr. Jorge García, Technical Secretary of the Conference.
Thank you very much.
APPENDIX VI
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE RESDA-XI/doc.6/00
XI INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 2 February 2000
24-25 February 2000 Original: Spanish
Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT "LABOR STANDARDS IN
INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS IN THE AMERICAS"
INTERNATIONAL LABOR OFFICE
INTERNATIONAL LABOR OFFICE
110
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT "LABOR STANDARDS IN
INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS IN THE AMERICAS"
Regional Office for the Americas
"LABOR STANDARDS IN INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS IN THE AMERICAS"
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT
This report was prepared by Working Group I, which was established by the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the Organization of American States (OAS). Its purpose is to identify the basic body of labor laws in the different integration agreements signed by American states. It may also help to incorporate labor considerations into economic integration processes.
The various integration processes in the Americas are studied in terms of labor standards promoted in their various instruments. The order in which the systems are addressed was determined by the age of the instruments establishing the systems or the labor standards.
Instruments establishing systems and other provisions stemming from current integration processes in the Americas were studied. The report also covers inter-American instruments of the Organization of American States. The OAS works for political and cultural integration--unlike the other systems, the aims of which are essentially economic and commercial.
Instruments containing labor standards and pertaining to the following integration systems are included in this report: (1) Organization of American States (OAS); (2) Central American Integration System (SICA); (3) Andean Community; (4) Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM); (5) Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR); (6) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (Canada, the United States, and Mexico)[1]/; (7) Free Trade Agreement – Group of Three (G-3) (Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela); (8) Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA); and (9) the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement.
A brief history of each integration system is given, followed by a presentation, by topic, of the different rights that have been addressed in their regulatory instruments. For this purpose, labor standards covered in the instruments were classified as follows: (a) fundamental rights[2]/; (b) working conditions; (c) employment; (d) labor administration; (e) social security; and (f) promotion and monitoring organs. Finally, each instrument is discussed and the labor standards identified therein are specified.
Regarding fundamental rights, the integration instruments have made specific reference to the freedom of association[3]/, the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of forced labor, the abolition of child labor, the elimination of discrimination, and equal pay.
Concerning working conditions, the international instruments examined mention the following rights: the right to work, the work day, work breaks, fair or adequate remuneration, job security, promotion or advancement, standards on female workers, handicapped workers, vacation, holidays, occupational safety and health, and mechanisms for resolving labor disputes.
For employment, the international regulations address the issues of promoting employment, mobility of the work force or migrant workers, skills training, and vocational guidance.
On the topic of labor administration, the integration standards mention labor administration itself as well as work-site inspections.
For social security, the instruments deal with the issue of social security in general, allowances for occupational accidents or disease, compensation for occupational injuries or disease, medical care, funeral benefits, protection against unemployment, old-age protection, and survivors' pensions.
Integration standards have also addressed the issue of promotion and monitoring organs. A specific analysis at the end of the report broadly outlines their specific characteristics as analyzed throughout the report.
As the report shows, all nine American integration processes examined have included labor standards to varying degrees, although in some cases they are dealt with only in general statements.
Furthermore, the different integration processes in the Americas – except in the case of the OAS – have been driven essentially by economic or trade considerations, establishing mechanisms to permit or facilitate the free movement of capital, goods, and services. Consequently, those integration efforts did not focus, at least at the outset, on the labor issues that inevitably arise with any integration effort since human participation is involved.
The cases examined show that, in general, labor issues have been addressed in specific or complementary instruments at some point after the establishment of the agreements, in some cases years later.
The study also shows that the set of labor principles included in the integration instruments has developed gradually as each individual process unfolds. They have been approached with varying degrees of regulation, depending on the case, in keeping with very different circumstances and reasons.
Although the labor principles included in the instruments of the different processes are diverse, they have coalesced into a rather coherent system, supplementing one another, without contradictory or incompatible approaches. This reveals the feasibility of a more harmonious, consensus-based approach toward developing a set of labor standards under the integration processes. This is why the labor principles identified above can be classified as they have been.
The set of labor principles included in the integration instruments has the virtue of arising from actual experience. Other rights could have been included in this list of provisions. But the record shows that these and not others have been selected over several decades of integration efforts.
The types of standards established under each integration process vary. Some focus on fundamental labor rights, others on employment and social security.
Some integration processes have included no statements on certain fundamental rights, such as union rights, collective bargaining, the right to strike, forced labor, and protection for working minors. This is true of the Central American Common Market (SICA), which has enshrined only the obligation not to discriminate; the Andean Community and Free Trade Agreement G-3, which recognize no fundamental rights; and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which only deals with the obligation not to discriminate and equal pay. In all those cases, the focus is on employment and social security issues.
On the other hand, other integration processes have focused on fundamental rights but still addressed working conditions, employment, and social security. That is true of the OAS, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement.
However, regarding fundamental rights, MERCOSUR, NAFTA, and the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement stand out. Their integration standards embrace all the fundamental labor rights, as outlined in the 1998 ILO Declaration. The OAS has embraced all the fundamental rights except collective bargaining. CARICOM, however, has no standards for the protection of working minors and equal pay.
The North American and Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreements, in addition to including fundamental labor rights in their regulations, also include some protections regarding working conditions (work day, minimum wage, and occupational safety and health) and provisions on the promotion of employment and protection of migrant workers. However, less attention is given to social security rights.
The Southern Common Market does not include any standards on working conditions, except for mechanisms to resolve labor disputes. It does, however, include all the principles of employment rights. Like the two Free Trade Agreements mentioned above, it gives less attention to social security rights.
Furthermore, the North American Free Trade Agreement seems to have taken on a central role in terms of the substance and form of labor regulations, not only because it has a fairly important and specific side agreement on the issue, but also because the parties are highly developed countries with a higher concentration of capital. The fact that the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement is actually a form of “accession” to NAFTA, since it duplicates all the NAFTA provisions, also supports that argument. It can be assumed that all countries or integration groups that wish to enter that market are willing to adopt those same labor regulations.
Finally, under the classification structure applied to this report (see the Comparative Table), it can be noted that, in quantitative terms, the OAS has the most labor provisions, twenty-eight (28), followed by CARICOM with twenty (20), MERCOSUR with seventeen (17), the North American and Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreements with fifteen (15), and the Andean Community with fourteen (14). The integration processes with the fewest labor provisions are SICA with seven (7), FTAA with six (6), and G-3 with one (1).
The only labor principle adopted by all the integration processes examined is the promotion of employment (included nine times).
In terms of the number of times included in integration instruments, promotion of employment is followed by the obligation not to discriminate and the protection of migrant workers (seven); and social security (six). This is understandable, since these are trade integration agreements which, in principle, promote the mobility of goods and services, which requires the mobility of a work force protected by social security.
Next is the issue of freedom of association and compensation for occupational injuries or disease (five); collective bargaining, the protection of minors, equal pay, the work day, occupational safety and health, and vocational guidance (four).
The remaining rights are quite scattered and are included three or less times in the integration instruments. Only two integration processes, the OAS and CARICOM, recognize the right to job security.
Six integration processes have included standards on promotion organs, whereas four have included provisions on monitoring organs.
APPENDIX VII
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/SER.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE RESDA-XI/INF.15/00
ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN 25 February 2000
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
24-25 February 2000
Washington, D.C.
STATEMENT BY MR. JOHN SWEENEY, PRESIDENT OF THE
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND CONGRESS OF
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS (AFL-CIO), REPRESENTING COSATE
STATEMENT BY MR. JOHN SWEENEY, PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS (AFL-CIO),
REPRESENTING COSATE
On behalf of the 13 million working women and men of the AFL-CIO, and on behalf of COSATE , the trade union advisory organization to the OAS, I want to express my appreciation for having the opportunity to speak to this distinguished gathering of labor ministers from the hemisphere.
I also want to give a special word of thanks to Secretary Herman and President Molina for arranging this invitation to speak I know that you have a very full agenda and special arrangements were made in order to allow me to address you. With that in mind, I will keep my remarks brief.
But first let me reiterate what I told the Caribbean Labor Ministers on Tuesday. There is no greater friend and ally to workers around the world than Alexis, and I am proud of the work that she does–everyday–in advancing social justice. We just came from our AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting in New Orleans, where the Secretary joined us.
At that meeting, our Executive Council talked a great deal about how to mount a long-term campaign to make the global economy work better for working people everywhere.
In Seattle, we heard a great deal from developing countries about your issues and your involvement in deliberations over rewriting the rules of the global economy. Following Seattle, I have instructed my staff to completely re-orient how we approach our international work, and to spend a great deal of time and thought on development issues - how we work to relieve developing nations of unpayable debt burdens, and how we work with nations everywhere to produce equitable, sustainable growth.
Today I would really like to hear more from you about those issues. I want to listen to you. I don't expect that we'll agree on everything, but I believe that we can have a very valuable dialogue and incorporate each other's points of view into our thinking.
Each day as our hemisphere becomes more integrated by immigration, trade, and investment, the relationship between working people becomes closer and more important than ever before. We believe the welfare of working people in the United States is powerfully tied to the welfare and destiny of workers in all of the Americas.
Labor Ministers and labor leaders have a critical role to play in assisting workers in their struggle to cope with the challenges of globalization. We need to address the long-term needs of working people, including skill development, training, education, the development of a social infrastructure, and the integration of the rights of workers in all development strategies.
Often, it is the Labor Ministers who stand alone among their colleagues in the advocacy of a trade and economic system which is democratic, equitable and sustainable. You should be applauded.
Like many of you, we believe the current system of global trade and investment has failed to deliver equitable, democratic, and sustainable growth. In fact, inequality among and within nations has gown worse in recent decades.
The US labor movement wants to work with you to fundamentally transform this system, whose true beneficiaries are not working people, but transnational corporations.
We are convinced that the agenda we have proposed, to link market access to enforceable core labor standards as defined by the International Labor Organization, is an important step toward building strong democracies, distributing the results of globalization more broadly, and ultimately creating the kind of world we all want to live in.
We believe that workers, as the World Bank's former chief economist recently said, "have to be at the center of the development transformation, and (that) workers' organizations can be key institutions in the development process."
Research shows that observing fundamental labor rights is good for growth, not an obstacle, and that strong democratic institutions smooth economic transitions and aid in crisis management.
Protecting workers' rights contributes to development by building popular institutions,
decreasing inequality, and encouraging politic participation.
At the same time, we recognize that protecting workers' rights is only one element in a broad development agenda.
The AFL-CIO is committed to intensifying our work with our union brothers and sisters from around the globe, our own government, and our civil society partners to support a broad development agenda that will generate growth and reduce unemployment, as well as protect rights.
Specifically, we are committing ourselves to an unprecedented effort by US unions on behalf of deep debt relief for developing nations, greatly increased development aid from the US, fundamental changes in the agendas of the International Financial Institutions and substantial increases in capacity building and technical aid to developing countries.
Last week the AFL-CIO Executive Council formally adopted the United Nations modest target of devoting seven-tenths of one percent of GDP to development aid and we will be working for that in Congress.
Too often, countries are asked to "reform" their economies in the wrong direction.
The International Financial Institutions press for deregulation, privatization, liberalization of trade and financial markets, and indiscriminate budget-cutting which often slashes social programs. These Institutions must work with developing country governments to promote co workers' rights, strengthen the rule of law, and promote democratic reforms.
We support increased capacity building and technical aid because it is increasingly clear that many governments lack the necessary technical and institutional resources to productively engage with the international institutions, protect their own interests in international bodies, and adequately enforce their own laws and obligations.
All of us can acknowledge the great progress in democratization in our hemisphere over the last twenty years. Nevertheless, as Peter Romero, the US Assistant Secretary of State responsible for the Western Hemisphere, said last month, "it doesn't take a clairvoyant to predict that democracy will wane in the face of economic privation."
In much of the Americas region, inequality is growing and in our own country, even in the midst of great prosperity, inequality between the poorest and the richest is greater than at any time since the 1930s. We need to do better.
We believe the partnership between labor ministers and labor leaders will be essential as you confront the task of reforming and modernizing your ministries to respond effectively to the challenges of globalization.
Your two working groups on globalization and labor ministry modernization which include trade union participation should expand as proposals and projects are developed and funded.
We hope that the technical assistance to labor ministries will also ensure the participation of trade unions from every country in our hemisphere.
Trade unions in the hemisphere can be an important partner in several areas including enforcement of the right to freedom of association, promotion of collective bargaining, and design of social safety nets.
The process of labor ministry modernization is a mayor development priority of not only the ILO and our own Department of Labor, but of the Inter-American Development Bank, which is leading the financing of this process.
We would hope that your governments actively support the Working Group consisting of the ILO, the OAS, ORIT and the IDB. This Working Group was formalized last July at the conclusion of the 1999 ORIT-IDB summit, in order to have the Bank focus on the labor and labor rights dimension of its policies and programs.
Labor market and labor ministry modernization must support rather than undermine social and economic stability. This means that reforms must not be used to weaken industry-wide collective bargaining nor encroach on trade union freedom.
There is no more important issue to working families around the world than ensuring that the global economy benefits the many – and not just the few – and that the economic integration process is democratic, transparent, sustainable and equitable. It must not harm or degrade the physical environment essential to the survival of this planet.
The mobilizations in Seattle involved peaceful and orderly demonstration by tens of thousands of trade unionists including over 200 international labor leaders representing the workers of the South as well as the North. It was an historic turning point.
It challenged the trade ministers of the WTO and their governments to address the ultimate test of globalization. Does this process lift the poor from poverty, empower the many, notiust the few, promote democracy and freedom, and spread widely shared blessings to people around the world?
Your governments, along with our own, have a unique opportunity after the Seattle ministerial to work toward a regional and world trading system which is respectful of labor, environmental, social rights and works to achieve equitable, sustainable, democratic growth, whether in the WTO, NAFTA, MERCOSUR, or the FTAA.
We in the AFL-CIO are committed to working with all of you. Together we can ensure that the voices of working people throughout the hemisphere are heard and that we all move forward together.
Thank you and God bless you all.
APPENDIX VIII
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/SER.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE RESDA-XI/doc.4/00
XI INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 2 February 2000
24-25 February 2000 Original: Spanish
Washington, D.C.
PROPOSED LABOR POLICY AREAS
SUITABLE FOR TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMS
PROPOSED LABOR POLICY AREAS
SUITABLE FOR TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMS
INTRODUCTION
This document was drawn up by the Chair pro tempore of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor to contribute to analysis and discussion of the lines of action that could serve as a basis for identifying technical cooperation areas to be explored in the immediate future, with a view to making progress in implementing the guidelines agreed upon in the Viña del Mar Plan of Action at the XI Conference, in October 1998.
This document is the second version of a text drawn up on the basis of the guidelines set by the Viña del Mar Conference, the conclusions of the first meetings of the two working groups established at the Conference, which were held in San José, Costa Rica, and Lima, Peru, and a technical contribution drawn up to further the analysis of this question and sent to the Chair pro tempore by the representatives of the United States Department of Labor.
The Technical Secretariat of the Organization of American States sent the first version of this document to the members of the Conference for comments and suggestions; it was also carefully examined at subsequent meetings of the Conference’s two working groups–Group 1, on “Globalization of the Economy and Its Social and Labor Dimensions,” and Group 2, on “Modernization of the State and Labor Administration: Requirements and Challenges”–held in Peru and Costa Rica, respectively, in late 1999. These meetings gave rise to a series of comments, which the Chair pro tempore trusts it has incorporated adequately. In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor sent a second technical contribution, containing comments on the first document. Efforts to incorporate them have also been made in order to arrive at a text that reflects all the contributions submitted.
The purpose of the document, as said in the aforementioned meetings, is to serve as the basis for analysis and open discussion in order to identify, out of a set of possible suggested areas for technical cooperation policy, those considered to be priorities in light of the guidelines of the Declaration of Viña del Mar and its Plan of Action and the realities, needs, and interests of the Conference’s member nations, with a view to drawing up, based on those priorities, a proposal for specific technical cooperation efforts to be provided by the specialized agencies and financial institutions associated with the Inter-American Conference of Ministers.
The Chair pro tempore stresses that this document should be seen as a source of general guidance for debate. It does not attempt to point to a particular approach but rather to encourage productive debate aimed at achieving a consensus on a proposal for technical assistance cooperation within the framework of the guidelines of the Declaration of Viña del Mar, the background information it contains, and the aforesaid contributions.
SUMMARY OF POSSIBLE TARGET AREAS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
MENU OF ACTIONS
The many diverse situations in the region call for a wide variety of policy actions. It would therefore be useful to propose, for the debate, a broad menu of diverse areas of technical assistance, which the countries could then use to identify their priorities according to their needs. This menu of actions being proposed for analysis and discussion includes the following guidelines:
1. EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR INSTITUTIONS
One area of labor policy and, hence, of technical cooperation that currently appears to enjoy a high level of consensus involves identification of the best policy models for ensuring that labor institutions and, in particular, labor relations laws, meet the challenge of guaranteeing due compatibility and an equitable balance between the productive and service sectors’ needs for adaptability–arising from the demands inherent in their successful insertion into a context of intense competition and technological change, against a backdrop of economic globalization and commercial and financial liberalization, and from worldwide, regional, and subregional integration processes–and the unlimited protection and guaranteeing of workers’ basic labor rights and, most particularly, those set forth in the Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its follow-up mechanism, adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) at the International Labour Conference in June 1998. In that regard, one particular area of concern for national policies and, consequently, for technical cooperation should be to help identify initiatives that will afford proper protection to those facing the effects of greater mobility within the labor market, particularly in cases involving job losses. Proper balance between these two dimensions is a prerequisite for attaining and consolidating a pattern of sustained economic growth, and especially one that is socially sustainable. The principle that should therefore govern both public labor policy and technical cooperation contributions in this area would have to be based on the idea that economic growth–the foundation of social and economic development–can only be stable and enjoy conviction about the effectiveness of its results if it is based on guidelines of equitable progress and social justice for society as a whole.
The innovations or reforms required by the aforesaid policies include consideration of another set of policies at the macroeconomic and macrosocial levels that also warrant study, the implementation of which would help obtain the desired results by bringing about a stable context of growth and progress. These policies entail, inter alia, ensuring the productivity and competitiveness of the labor system and of the economic system as a whole, together with establishing global forums for building consensus about the relations between the requirements of growth, equality, and the promotion and protection of basic labor rights in a framework of participation by social players. This would encourage a systemic approach to economic labor-related processes so as to meet the challenges of growth and progress at the different macro and micro levels.
Such a systemic approach should help identify new and innovative types of policies and procedures for providing a balanced response, with both general and specific rules, to the wide range of situations encountered by companies and sectors as they face up to the new ways that labor markets are operating and being structured as a result of the natural processes through which the productive and services structure in our countries are adapting to the demands of economic integration and competition at home and abroad.
Within this systemic framework, the study and usefulness of reforms or innovations–at the macro and micro levels–that are appropriate to the new structuring of productive activities, services, and labor markets could be conducted with a greater probability of success. One promising approach could be to first assess the experience of countries where reforms of this kind have been implemented, and then to draw conclusions from those experiences, particularly their impact on the quantity and quality of employment and the consequent effects on social progress. Together with that assessment, it would also be advisable to study and draw up proposals regarding the policy types that are best suited for ensuring that economies are adequately placed to attain an optimum equilibrium position vis-à-vis either exogenous impacts or changes in market conditions. Frequently, some of the problems that can hinder the adaptation necessary in these situations take the form of excessively segmented markets or barriers to positive labor mobility that would facilitate the insertion or reinsertion of workers in dynamic sectors that offer them better opportunities for progress. Alternatively, they appear as payment systems that do not maintain a fair balance between workers’ earnings and their productivity, quality, and professional training and that could lead to a less than optimal allocation of resources and to unemployment. At the same time, certain regulations governing forms of employment or ways of organizing labor that are poorly suited to the real conditions under which the economy functions could ultimately affect hiring decisions and the optimal allocation of resources. However, in the absence of an appropriately consolidated systemic vision at the macro and micro levels, there is the risk of policies or rules for flexibility or adaptability that are not duly regulated, leading to instability or to excessive worker turnover; this would discourage investment in human resources, which, in the long run, is a disinvestment in the economy’s long-term ability to compete globally.
From this perspective, to strengthen the adaptive abilities of labor systems, labor markets, and economic functioning in general, while never losing sight of the vital function of protecting workers’ basic rights, the alternatives that could be offered include the implementation of public policies and technical cooperation directed at a set of goals, such as the following:
a. Studying, assessing, and proposing measures for improving labor rules and institutions that will work toward an appropriate design for balancing non-wage labor costs with necessary hiring incentives. Inter alia, it could be useful to examine the points of equilibrium inherent in each type of economy between the costs of protection that ensure the benefits needed for a socially sustainable employment relationship and the effects on employment levels, in order to avoid results that could give rise to subsets of workers enjoying protection during periods of unemployment, which encourage instability and the avoidance of legal responsibilities.
b. Studying, analyzing, and assessing the advisability of establishing a variety of labor contracting methods (fixed term, part time, piece work, etc.) that will offer the productive and services sectors alternative ways of organizing work and managerial tasks in accordance both with the type of activity and with the fluctuations or seasonal variations in demand that they face. However, the implementation of these new methods, if they are deemed necessary and if they are to have a positive effect on adaptability processes, must not take the form of replacing workers who have permanent contracts with seasonal workers, unconnected to the objective realities of the labor market. The greatest level of contractual freedom must always involve regulations, be they public or negotiated, to safeguard the collective rights of workers hired under those new methods, the protection of their health, and their social security entitlements. The design of these possible alternatives should also encourage collective bargaining in these sectors and establish appropriate rules to regulate workers’ individual rights.
c. Designing managerial mechanisms to facilitate the bureaucratic costs associated with formalizing labor contracts and meeting social security obligations, by simplifying procedures and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the corresponding regulatory provisions.
d. Studying, analyzing, and assessing the relevance of creating institutions intended to ensure more effective protection against dismissals and growing labor mobility, based on systems that offer significant benefits, that encourage seeking out new jobs, and that are applicable to the different forms of employment. Within these policies, attention could be paid, inter alia, to those proposals based on savings programs and capitalization that are currently found in some countries.
e. Studying, analyzing, and assessing the relevance of identifying a set of instruments that, preferably through collective bargaining, will be able to favor maintaining the work relationship over dismissal when temporary drops in the demand for labor occur. Particularly important in this regard are different options for distributing working time, temporarily interrupting contracts with priority given to reinstatement, and proportionally adjusting working days and payment levels, within the framework of inter-party agreements and with guarantees of the health and social rights of workers.
2. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
The field of collective bargaining also contains a number of areas of interest that could be addressed through innovative policies and technical assistance. These areas include the following:
a. Improving the procedures that govern collective bargaining as one of the main instruments for building agreements on an increasingly broad range of issues and with awareness of the companies’ basic economic and financial data.
b. Studying, assessing, and offering suggestions on collective bargaining mechanisms, paying particular attention to national realities and to the diversity of companies, expressed through variables such as the structure of the markets in which they operate, the nature of their productive processes, their size, their technological bases, the specific skills of the workers they employ, and, of course, their different levels of productivity. The issues that could be assessed in this regard, in view of the aforesaid variables and the experience of each country, could include such issues as the more or less decentralized levels at which development should take place, examining which types of questions better suit more fragmented forms of negotiation at the company level and which others could be covered by broader agreements, together with adjustments to both forms in those places where they both coexist.
c. Identifying forms of collective bargaining that offer the parties new instruments that, since they are based on agreements, will facilitate greater adaptability on the part of companies and, consequently, increase the possibilities of achieving greater increases in productivity and the fruits of the resulting progress for the workers. The aim would be to promote a conception in which that adaptation, when necessary, would not be carried out unilaterally but rather through methods that are regulated (establishing, by law, requirements and limitations on adjustment) and negotiated (leaving the adjustment decision to the parties), in areas such as (i) modifications to labor contracts allowing the employment of one or more workers to be suspended without canceling the legal relationship, (ii) allowing the parties to agree on a reduction of the working day and proportional earnings for periods of time agreed on by joint consent, and (iii) modifications to working schedules, authorizing the parties to negotiate extraordinary arrangements of the working day for periods of time longer than a week.
d. Identifying procedures to ensure access by workers and workers’ organizations to basic information about their companies, and, if necessary, establishing a regulated procedure to protect strategic information. This would seek to identify methods to help redress the initial asymmetry of information between the parties and, consequently, facilitate agreements. The frequency and duration of strikes is often related to the availability and quality of the information known by the parties.
e. Studying proposals for developing the negotiating skills of unions and employers, in order to establish agreements on quantified productivity increase goals tied in with increases in earnings. Thus, as these ties are strengthened, better conditions can be established to ensure that economic growth is stable and lasting. In light of the complexity of these agreements, it would be necessary to consider skilled technical assistance to promote and support research in these areas by both labor ministries and independent institutes or sources.
f. Developing policies and methods for enhancing the technical abilities of social players in collective bargaining, by conducting training programs for union and corporate negotiators and providing advisory services on economic, legal, organizational, and work management issues.
3. LABOR RELATIONS
Increases in companies’ productivity and in earnings and working conditions seem to be more and more the result of largely endogenous factors; in other words, a function of the emergence of cooperative labor relations, of investment in worker training, and of compliance with labor rights and duties by both sides. It is in such working environments that it is most likely that companies’ needs for continuous adaptation and people's needs for development in productive employment will come together.
The ability of the parties to reach agreements and strategic alliances in order to achieve the goals of creating more competitive companies and stimulating, higher-quality working conditions can, in some cases, constitute a central goal to be achieved as a viable response to the new challenges of competitiveness faced by productive units. A proper climate of trust between employers and workers will facilitate agreements that can lead to innovative practices and higher productivity.
The development of these new abilities can be tackled, inter alia, through technical cooperation policies and efforts such as the ones listed below:
a. Strengthening social players by protecting and promoting the collective rights of organization, association, and collective bargaining, thus ensuring their proper autonomy. In particular, a technical assistance and training program for promoting workers’ and employers’ organizations could be introduced.
b. Developing programs for modernizing the organization and management of work in small companies.
c. Providing advice for implementing, preferably through collective bargaining, a system of results-based earnings, particularly in small and medium enterprises. Adapting incentive systems to this end could be a particularly interesting area for technical cooperation.
d. Providing advice for the development of individual and group performance evaluation systems, making particular use of procedures agreed upon through collective bargaining.
e. Studying, analyzing, and assessing negotiations regarding the best ways to restructure pay scales within companies.
4. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING
The ability of workers to adapt to changes in the productive environment depends to a large extent on their skills level and their productivity growth potential. An economy with that potential should be more adaptable and thus better able to avoid the costs associated with increasing unemployment and with declining earnings during periods of adjustment.
Short-term contracts create uncertainty and mistrust among employers and workers, reduce labor motivation, and affect productivity growth in the medium and long terms. Similar arguments apply if earnings are variable since, from the viewpoint of workers, their well-being is affected not only by the level of their earnings but also by changes therein.
In contrast, if labor contracts are long-term, companies tend to be more conservative in hiring new workers and will endeavor to discover their potential quality beforehand. In such cases, low productivity workers will affect the average productivity rate of a company in the long run. This should encourage efforts to increase worker productivity through incentives related to promotion possibilities, good working conditions, financial incentives for performance, and training opportunities.
Some international experience seems to indicate that excessive flexibility in employment and earnings can tend to reduce labor’s potential as a factor of production, by affecting the accumulation of experience and the professional competence of human resources as well as the balance between their contributions and the material and moral returns they earn. In turn, this can have an impact on individual and collective productivity. This suggests that there probably is, for individual companies as well as for economies as a whole, an optimum level of flexibility, which must stand somewhere below an unlimited amount thereof. If it is very high, there will predictably be little investment in training, low skills levels among the workforce, and scant incentives for increased productivity. The unemployment rate may not be high, but job quality and earnings levels will tend to be low. At the same time, if the level of flexibility is low, it will be difficult to counteract excessive rigidity through measures aimed at increasing the flexibility of labor as a factor of production.
Training initiatives can have a dual impact in that they boost the qualitative mobility of the workforce as well as the adaptability of labor as a factor of production, since investment in these areas can strengthen the potential for increased productivity.
Clearly, institutional arrangements that promote greater stability in employment offer advantages related to the greater incentive to invest in the workforce and they encourage the adoption of variable earnings schemes and improved labor relations.
In this way, workers could more easily be able to select different production lines or different tasks. Thus, relative stability in employment, with permanent investment in general training and an increase in the skills level of the workforce, can lead to higher productivity and better overall earnings for workers.
Great emphasis has been placed on the role played by training in improving the employability and productivity of labor. It is, without doubt, an active employment policy instrument of great importance in reconciling social equality and competitiveness and in incorporating the populace into the process of modernization. Moreover, at a time of competitiveness based on knowledge-intensive technologies, continued improvements in skills are a prerequisite for economic and social development.
The other chief area is the development of basic competencies and skills to improve employability. Enhancing these does not mean, either solely or principally, replacing obsolete skills with new ones, but rather, and primarily, developing a knowledge base in accordance with which workers can adapt to changes in the demand for labor.
The lack of basic skills is one of the determining factors behind unemployability and a leading cause of poverty. An intense investment effort in this area could lead to a substantial reduction in poverty levels.
Policy and technical assistance actions in the field of job training that could help attain the aforesaid results include the following:
a. Modernizing centralized job training systems, which usually operate under the aegis of national professional training institutes. This requires examining, inter alia, decentralized policy designs that will ensure that decisions regarding both the planning and implementation of training efforts maintain a close correlation with the demands imposed by the labor market.
b. Developing job training markets, encouraging the supply of specialized trainers by maintaining the demand for training.
c. Designing financing systems for job training at the decentralized corporate level, by offering fiscal incentives. Among small and very small enterprises, special incentives for the development of trainers will no doubt be needed, especially incentives that create demand for training based on publicly financed training bonds. In particular, the possibilities of multipurpose training will be studied and the relevant suggestions drawn up.
d. Analyzing experiences and formulating suggestions regarding the creation of new institutions to promote the development of job training for groups of companies in a single area or economic sector, thus promoting the use of economies of scale in the provision of training services.
e. Establishing consulting and advisory institutions, involving both business owners and workers, to support and enhance the design and execution of job training policies.
With regard to the development of basic skills, the following actions could be considered:
f. Designing basic skills development and training programs for the unemployed and for vulnerable social groups (e.g., poor young people without work experience, women heads of household, adults displaced by productive restructuring, and casual workers from the informal sector). These programs should be tied in with plans to expand enrolment levels at primary and secondary schools and to improve the quality of the education they provide.
g. Establishing finance systems for these programs, based on public funding and intended to provide a supply of high-quality training.
h. Regulating and supervising available private job training.
i. Establishing a network of local public services to provide guidance and information on jobs and occupations, with broad participation from civil society and local governments.
5. PROTECTION SYSTEMS FOR THE UNEMPLOYED
The restructuring of the labor market implies greater mobility. This improves the allocation of resources but also increases the risk of unemployment.
In this new context of increased market competition and greater mobility on the part of human resources, new institutions are needed to ensure workers monetary benefits during periods of unemployment and, at the same time, to encourage the mobility of workers and their return to productive jobs.
Their introduction can have positive repercussions, in that it will avoid the loss of skills that unemployment tends to produce (the mechanism assumes close interrelations with job training and labor information systems), improve the quantity and quality of job searches, and ensure the unemployed a guaranteed income. It will also encourage labor mobility and discourage undesirable behavior on the part of employers and workers, which generally arises because of the conditional nature of benefits associated with compensation for years of service.
A system such as the one described should afford workers benefits both to protect them when fired, particularly at times of greatest worker turnover, and to assist them as they face other situations arising from the termination of employment. To support workers in their searches for new jobs, they must be offered information and counseling services and be given preference in job training programs or schemes.
Assistance systems for the unemployed should also follow one basic principle: it is not always the job that must be protected, but rather the worker, along with his or her opportunities for proper mobility and reincorporation into the job market.
The actions that could be addressed by policies in this area include the following:
a. Studying, assessing, and formulating proposals regarding protection systems for unemployed workers that provide them with monetary and nonmonetary benefits based on savings programs. One option would be to consider designing an individual capitalization system based on two-handed contributions from workers and employers alike, with additional funding from the state, for the most vulnerable workers, with the efficient management of these resources being guaranteed by competition among different fund managers. This possible solution should be contrasted with other three-handed schemes that now exist in other countries so as to identify the advantages the two systems can offer national economies.
b. Studying, assessing, and formulating suggestions regarding possible adjustments of severance-pay systems, in order to ensure they complement the protection systems for unemployed workers.
c. Establishing close links between the granting of monetary unemployment benefits, job information and counseling systems, and job training schemes. Similarly, proposals will be needed on how to combine these benefits with access to health benefits and how to bring them into play during special short-term adjustment situations caused by temporary drops in the demand for labor, such as when labor contracts are temporarily suspended.
6. LABOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS
The availability of an adequate, timely, and reliable job information system is a prerequisite for job markets to function properly. The aim is to make a public resource available to provide agents within the job market with greater transparency and information, thus increasing the efficiency of their operations.
Actions in the field of labor information could include the following:
a. Providing job information and mediation services through decentralized agencies that detect vacancies in a region’s companies and match them up with available workers.
b. Developing labor mediation functions by correlating the information obtained with available job training services and thus ensuring that training is relevant to the demands and specifications of those seeking to hire workers.
c. Producing specific information on the functioning of the job market by using information on employment, unemployment, and earnings in conjunction with data on other key aspects of the job market (workers’ organizations, the results of collective bargaining, information on working conditions, social welfare statistics, and job training services).
d. Adapting the instruments used to gather labor information to new needs. This includes improved coordination with the agencies that produce statistics (household surveys, business surveys, mixed surveys, etc.) to improve the quality of relations between the producers and users of statistics and to make the necessary conceptual and technical changes in those instruments.
e. Strengthening the labor ministries’ analytical capacity both to produce information and to design the indicators needed to monitor the evolution of the job market and analyze future trends. This entails designing and developing sets of indicators and creating independent skills by training technical teams.
7. MEETING LABOR STANDARDS
Integration moves forward along a number of paths. In this connection, it is a matter of priority to observe the basic labor principles and rights set forth in ILO international conventions. This requires an effort to strengthen and modernize the labor ministries’ control and oversight mechanisms.
The following actions could be suggested in this regard:
a. Programs to actively promote the basic rights established by the ILO, particularly those contained in its June 1998 Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the corresponding follow-up mechanism.
b. Actions to improve the enforcement of domestic laws. Special mention should be made of the informal sector, where it is possible to study, assess, and propose simplifications to the rules and regulations that govern the sector.
c. Mechanisms to ensure the participation of workers, employers, and their organizations in overseeing labor standards. Feasibility of creating tripartite labor inspection committees.
d. Intensive training programs for labor inspectors; possible increases in their numbers; simplifying and updating inspection manuals and procedures; and computerization of inspection services.
e. Promotion of voluntary certification programs to show compliance with labor rights and standards, managed by social players and civil society organizations.
8. MODERNIZING LABOR JUSTICE
Compliance with domestic legislation requires an effective labor justice system that can minimize litigation and consequent negative levels of uncertainty among workers and employers and, at the same time, can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of jurisdictional and procedural functions pertaining to labor matters. Special mention should be made of experiences with mediation mechanisms that facilitate the settlement of conflicts by the parties themselves. Significant results can be obtained by means of changes in the rules and through the use of conciliation and conflict-resolution mechanisms during the pre-judicial phase.
The possible actions that could be covered by policies in this area include the following:
a. Examining possible suggestions for changes in procedural rules to expedite judicial proceedings regarding labor issues.
b. Computerization of the system of justice in the area of labor law.
c. Special training programs for judges and senior judicial officials working in the area of labor law.
d. Creation of an information service for the labor courts.
9. SOCIAL DIALOGUE
The aim of social dialogue is to incorporate all social players into national modernization processes and to develop methods and rules for negotiations regarding labor relations. This requires developing a set of actions, among which the following could appear:
a. Establishing formal and informal mechanisms for consulting with workers’ and employers’ organizations regarding the formulation of social and economic policies.
b. Promoting broader coverage of the sectors represented, such as the owners of microbusinesses, workers from the informal sector, and other agents.
c. Establishing mechanisms for mediation and conflict resolution. These can be voluntary or mandatory, governmental or public nongovernmental, or privately run, either nonprofit or for profit, regulated and supervised by the state. Their scope (geographic coverage, applicable sector, ties with the macro- and microeconomic levels) should be decided autonomously by the social players, but the design must respect the differentiated demands of a heterogeneous labor market.
d. Execution of a tripartite program to promote and legitimize collective bargaining within society. This could involve setting rules to help decentralize the operations of business organizations and unions, thus ensuring the democratic participation of the rank-and-file in the election of representatives to labor-management committees or other joint bodies, such as business committees.
e. Strengthening the technical capacity of the social players: development of advisory services in the economic and production areas and the labor-related legal sphere; dissemination of specialized information. Incentives for the creation of independent multidisciplinary labor consultancy teams.
f. Execution of training programs for company and union negotiators, dealing chiefly with economics, collective and individual labor law, labor relations, organization, and management.
APPENDIX IX
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE DECISIONS OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
ADOPTED BY THE ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN RESDA-XI/doc.10/00
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR 18 February 2000
February 24-25, 2000 Original: Spanish
Washington, D.C.
MEASURES TAKEN BY THE OAS GENERAL SECRETARIAT ON
EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR ISSUES
Report presented by the Unit for Social Development and Education
Inter-American Council for Integral Development
Meeting of Ministers of Labor
MEASURES TAKEN BY THE OAS GENERAL SECRETARIAT ON
EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR ISSUES
Report presented by the Unit for Social Development and Education
(Washington D.C., February 24 and 25, 2000)
I. MANDATES
The Second Summit of the Americas, the OAS General Assembly, and the Eleventh Conference of Ministers of Labor have entrusted the OAS General Secretariat with a series of tasks, including serving as the technical secretariat for the Conference and conducting specific support activities in the field of labor and employment. The Unit for Social Development and Education of the OAS General Secretariat executes those tasks and supports the labor ministries in the operation of the ministerial forum under the aegis of CIDI and collaborates on the promotion of policies and sources of productive employment, training and vocational education, labor rights, assistance for the unemployed, social security, labor standards, and social dialogue, all of which are included in the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar.
II. ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED AND PROSPECTS FOR COOPERATION
The main activities conducted since the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor held in October 1998 are indicated below, along with the prospects for cooperation.
Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor
The Plan of Action of Viña del Mar requests the OAS General Secretariat to redouble its efforts so that it may, in compliance with its present functions as Technical Secretariat, provide support to the coordination and cooperation activities of the Chairman pro tempore in implementing the Plan of Action. In fulfillment of this mandate, the General Secretariat, through the Unit for Social Development and Education, has conducted the following activities:
( Follow-up, support, and participation in organizing the meetings of the two working groups established by the Conference in Viña del Mar.
( Supporting the organization of this Meeting to Follow up on the Conference of Ministers of Labor, including its convocation, financing, document preparation, and preparation of the reports and papers of the technical secretariat.
( Follow-up on the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar and preparation of the survey on the progress of activities to help the Chair pro tempore in his overall assessment of the progress made in implementing the Plan of Action.
( Publication and continual updating of existing information on the Conference's activities and documents on the OAS web page.
( Preparation, based on the contributions made by the working groups, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Chair pro tempore, of a program on labor policies for potential financing by the Inter-American Development Bank and other international organizations.
Regarding the prospects for future cooperation in this area, the General Secretariat bases its actions on the consensus that exists regarding the importance of the working groups' efforts to implement the agreements adopted at the Eleventh Conference of Ministers of Labor in Viña del Mar. Based on that consensus among the labor ministries, the General Secretariat will continue to lend technical and operating support for the meetings and activities of the working groups. It will also focus its efforts on preparing for the Twelfth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, to be held in 2001.
Labor Information Systems
Pursuant to the resolution contained in the document TRABAJO/doc.25/98 from the Eleventh Conference, the General Secretariat supported the development of the Information System on Labor Markets (SISMEL), coordinated by the Peruvian National Institute of Statistics and Information (INEI), the executing agency for the corresponding multilateral project financed by FEMCIDI. The Information System seeks to standardize labor statistics and indicators at the regional level to gauge the impact of economic and social policies on labor. During the period in question, the following activities were conducted:
( One regional seminar in Lima; eight national training workshops in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Panama, and Paraguay; and three subregional seminars -- one for Central America, one for South America, and one for the Caribbean.
( Training 200 national public officials on methodologies for generating and analyzing labor statistics and indicators.
( Participation of 15 countries in launching the electronic network for the exchange information on labor markets.
( Operation of the SISMEL web site (inei.gob.pe/sismel) linking 20 labor ministries in the Americas through an information network on labor markets.
Regarding the prospects for cooperation, the program to conduct the final phase and consolidate the Information System on Labor Markets (SISMEL) will be adversely affected this year, since the corresponding multilateral project presented to the OAS has not yet received funding due to a scarcity of resources in the 2000 budget, even though it received a favorable recommendation from the respective nonpermanent specialized committee (CENPE) of CIDI. This will block the implementation of the final phase of the project aimed at consolidating the operation of the Information System on Labor Markets to make it permanent, with financial and managerial autonomy. Alternative financing options from other international organizations are currently being considered, so the Information System can be completed as planned by the participating countries.
Labor Training and Employment Policies
One of the priority issues in the Declaration of Viña del Mar is the examination of the role of the Ministries of Labor in employment, the labor market, and vocational training. The Plan of Action is concerned with identifying new and innovative labor policies and deems employment and the labor markets to be priority issues. Therefore, with the coordination of the Ministry of Labor of Chile, as the executing agency, a multilateral project financed by FEMCIDI was conducted and accomplished the following:
( A regional seminar on productive employment policies in Chile that allowed for a broad exchange among the countries on development policies currently in place in the region.
( A subregional seminar on labor training policies in the Dominican Republic to examine the concrete experiences of two countries and make recommendations for designing future labor training programs that have to be linked to the real labor market and the business sector.
( A subregional seminar on policies to protect unemployed workers in Venezuela to examine the operating characteristics of unemployment funds in some countries in the region and make recommendations for their implementation in other countries.
( The launching of an electronic information network to link the ministries of labor in the field of employment through a web page (dcc.uchile.cl/~pfrigole/nueva).
Regarding future cooperation, the project presented to the OAS to continue these activities in 2000 was not recommended by the CIDI nonpermanent specialized committee, which felt that too few countries had formally confirmed their interest in participating in the activities. In response to requests from national institutions, the General Secretariat will continue to work with other countries to disseminate and exchange policies on promoting employment and identify resources to maintain the technical forum that has been established in this area.
Policies on Small Business Development and Expanding Sources of Employment
The Plan of Action of Viña del Mar is concerned with identifying innovative policies and conceptual, institutional, and operational designs for programs and actions that harmoniously integrate the public and private sectors, giving special attention to the informal sector of the economy and microenterprises and small businesses. To this end, the General Secretariat worked with a group of countries to prepare and execute a multilateral project to disseminate instruments that expand the private sector's sources of employment. The initiative's main achievements are listed below.
( Three national seminars were held on information systems for small businesses, to inform government authorities and business management of the most successful electronic information tools operating in the region. For this, the General Secretariat received valuable collaboration from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela through their participation in selecting and presenting the programs.
( Presentation of OAS experience in designing and operating information systems for small and medium-sized enterprises in a seminar organized by SELA in Costa Rica.
( Preparation and distribution of a CD to disseminate instruments in place in the region that promote small business development.
To continue disseminating this experience in 2000, a project was presented for OAS funding and received a favorable recommendation. Nonetheless, the shortage of resources is preventing the project from being executed as planned. A proposal is being considered to instruct the General Secretariat to take steps together with other sources of financing to allow for the scheduled activities to continue.
Young Americas Business Trust
The Young Americas Business Trust is an OAS initiative, in association with the private sector, to create employment opportunities for young people through self-employment and business management. This initiative is consistent with the policies established at the Summit of the Americas and the priorities recently set by the member states to create a more dynamic vision of the OAS and mobilize civil society support to combat poverty. The Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) is organized like a non-profit organization associated with the OAS Unit for Social Development and Education. The Trust promotes business development programs for young people, by working with the member states, with a strategic focus aimed at getting the private sector to lend technical and financial support. The activities under way include:
( The Internetwork for Young Entrepreneurs () which is being established as an on-line resource center and cooperation network for organizations devoted to small business development for young people.
( The Millenium 1000 program was launched to identify and recognize 1,000 young entrepreneurs under 35 who have made a significant contribution to creating sources of employment in the Hemisphere. The names of the young entrepreneurs will be announced at the end of 2000, and they will participate in the Hemisphere 2001 conference in February 2001. The possibility is being discussed of acknowledging the highest individual category at an event at the Third Summit of the Americas, to be held in Canada.
( Youth and Energy in the Americas (YEA). The Young Americas Business Trust and the Unit for Social Development and Education have joined forces with the Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment to execute a project on renewable energy in the Americas. This cooperative project will give young people the opportunity to receive training in companies that work with renewable energy, through seminars that will be held at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and follow-up activities that could include business opportunities, promoting careers in renewable energy, employment, and training.
Education for Work and Development of Youth
The General Secretariat supports the execution of the Multilateral Project on Education for Work and Development of Youth, financed by FEMCIDI. Its objective is to support the MERCOSUR countries in preparing standard occupational profiles in four economic sectors, in keeping with the terms of reference established by the MERCOSUR technical committee on education. To date, the project has completed the occupational profiles in the civil engineering and agriculture sectors, presented them to the MERCOSUR technical committee on education for approval, and prepared a publication on criteria for comparing and reconciling common mid-level technical profiles in MERCOSUR in Spanish and Portuguese.
Inter-agency Cooperation
The Unit collaborates and exchanges information with AID (a project to improve labor administrations in Central America), the International Labour Organization (labor information), and the Inter-American Development Bank (non-reimbursable technical cooperation to support the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor). Finally, in 1999 the General Secretariat signed an agreement on cooperation and the exchange of information with the Organización Regional Interamericana de Trabajadores (ORIT).
Disseminating Activities
The activities of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor and the cooperation and support activities of the General Secretariat, through the Unit for Social Development and Education are posted on the OAS web site (udse), so as to provide ongoing information to institutions in member states, the missions to the OAS, the units of the OAS, and the general public on the labor and employment activities being conducted by the Organization and its member states.
APPENDIX X
resolutions
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE ELEVENTH RESDA-XI/RES. 2/00
INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 25 February 2000
of ministers of labor Original: Spanish
February 24-25, 2000
Washington, D.C.
PROGRESS REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUPS
(Resolution approved at the fourth plenary session,
held on February 25, 2000)
THE MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR,
HAVING SEEN:
Resolution TRABAJO/doc.5/98, adopted on October 21, 1998, at the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, held in Viña del Mar, Chile, which establishes two working groups to furnish the labor ministries with reports, studies, and pertinent material so that they may implement the agreed Plan of Action;
The Final Report “Globalization of the Economy and its Social and Labor Dimensions” of Group I, which met in June and December 1999, in Lima, Peru, and the Final Report “Modernization of the State and Labor Administration: Requirements and Challenges” of Group II, which met in San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica, in April and November 1999;
CONSIDERING:
That, during the previous year, the Groups worked extensively in support of the areas and issues related to the implementation of the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar; and
That the presentations by the Ministers of Labor of Peru and Costa Rica, coordinators of the working groups of the Conference, attest to the progress made,
RESOLVES:
1. To commend the coordinators and members of the working groups for the excellent work they have done to date and to ratify the mandate of the Eleventh Conference in order for them to continue to function until the next Conference of Ministers of Labor in 2001.
2. To request the working groups to continue their research into the modernization of labor ministries and the social and labor aspects involved, paying special attention to proper implementation of the measures and recommendations set forth in the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar through horizontal cooperation, the exchange of experiences, the dissemination of reports, and other available mechanisms.
3. To reiterate all the countries to join the working groups.
4. To urge the Organization of American States (OAS), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank (WB), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and other organizations and agencies concerned with labor issues to support in various ways the efforts of the working groups.
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE RESDA-XI/RES. 4/00
XI INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 25 February 2000
OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
February 24-25, 2000
Washington, D.C.
PROPOSED LABOR POLICY AREAS SUITABLE FOR TECHNICAL COOPERATION
(Resolution approved at the fourth plenary session,
held on February 25, 2000)
THE MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR,
HAVING SEEN the final reports of the meetings of Group I, “Globalization of the Economy and Its Social and Labor Dimensions,” held in June and December 1999, in Lima, Peru, and Group II, “Modernization of the State and Labor Administration,” held in San José, Costa Rica, in April and November 1999, in which it is decided to support the preparation of a specific technical cooperation project to promote execution of the mandate contained in the Declaration of Viña del Mar, issued at the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor; and
CONSIDERING:
That the document “Proposed Labor Policy Areas Suitable for Technical Cooperation Programs” represents an important contribution to identifying technical cooperation projects and activities relating to the topics addressed in the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar;
That this document, which arose as an initiative of the working groups, was revised by the Chair pro tempore, and that, with the observations and suggestions made by the working groups, the decision was made to present it to the ministers of labor for their consideration at this follow-up meeting of the Eleventh Conference;
That during this follow-up meeting, the observations of the ministers of labor were heard and are to be considered in due course; and
That the presentation made by representatives of the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Labour Organization, and the Organization of American States on possible technical cooperation for projects in the labor policy areas indicated certain approaches and strategies that should be employed by the countries to obtain support from those organizations,
RESOLVES:
1. That the Chair pro tempore shall convene, at the earliest possible date, the Advisory Council provided for in the Appendix to the Plan of Action adopted in Viña del Mar in October 1998, for preparation of the technical assistance and cooperation program that is to be presented to the appropriate international organizations.
2. To urge all countries to transmit to the Advisory Council projects in which they are interested so that they may be included in technical assistance and cooperation programs.
3. That the Chair pro tempore shall keep the ministers of labor of the Eleventh Conference apprised as to the development of the projects.
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE RESDA-XI/RES. 5/00
XI INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 25 February 2000
OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
February 24-25, 2000
Washington, D.C.
THE TWELFTH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on February 25, 2000)
THE MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR,
HAVING SEEN:
Resolution AG/RES. 1574 (XXVIII-O/98) regarding the authority that CIDI has to propose to the General Assembly the holding of specialized conferences in areas within its competence;
The Declaration of Viña del Mar, adopted by the Ministers of Labor on October 21, 1998, at the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, which calls on the governments, and in particular the ministries of labor, to deal actively with a set of strategic issues stemming from the new realities in the world of work, resulting from the processes of economic and trade internationalization, the speed of technical innovation, and the structural and institutional changes associated with these processes; and
Operative paragraph 5 of that Declaration, which contains the resolution to hold a follow-up meeting at the ministerial level in the year 2000 and to entrust that meeting with determining the venue for the Twelfth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor in 2001; and
CONSIDERING:
That the Twelfth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor is scheduled to take place in October 2001; and
That the decision adopted in the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas with respect to strengthening labor ministries specified that actions will be taken to ensure that the ministries of labor have the necessary means to carry out that Plan of Action in areas within their jurisdiction,
RESOLVES:
1. To accept the offer of the Government of Canada to host the Twelfth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, to be held under the aegis of CIDI.
2. To accept, also, the offer of the Government of Brazil to host the Thirteenth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, to be held in 2003, under the aegis of CIDI.
3. To request the OAS General Secretariat to prepare, to that end, a draft resolution to be presented to CIDI at its fifth meeting and to the Preparatory Committee of the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly, in order for the latter to approve the necessary funds in the corresponding chapter of the 2001 budget with respect to CIDI meetings at the ministerial level.
4. To request the Technical Secretariat of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor to collaborate with the Chair Pro Tempore and the government of the host country on the preparations for and organization of the Twelfth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor.
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE RESDA-XI/RES. 1/00
ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN 25 February 2000
CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
February 24-25, 2000
Washington, D.C.
MULTILATERAL PROJECT ON THE
LABOR MARKETS INFORMATION SYSTEM
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on February 25, 2000)
THE MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR,
HAVING SEEN resolution TRABAJO/doc.25/98–adopted on October 20, 1998, in Viña del Mar, Chile, at the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor–which reiterates the interest of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor in having accurate, timely, and reliable information on labor markets; expresses its satisfaction with the launching of the Labor Markets Information System (SISMEL) Project and with the progress made to date; and expresses support for continuation of the subsequent stages of the SISMEL Project; and
CONSIDERING:
That the SISMEL project, financed with resources from the Special Multilateral Fund of CIDI (FEMCIDI), has proceeded successfully during 1998 and 1999 in 20 OAS member countries, and that execution of the activities planned for 2000 is essential if the project's objectives are to be fully attained;
That the Nonpermanent Specialized Committee (CENPE) on Social Development and the Generation of Productive Employment recommended, in its final report, dated October 27, 1999, that the project be continued in 2000;
That the Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CEPCIDI), at its fifty-seventh special meeting, held on December 13, 1999, authorized the execution of projects recommended by the CENPES in their order of precedence and in accordance with the level of funding available; and
That the account for Social Development and the Generation of Productive Employment does not have sufficient resources to finance the SISMEL Project for 2000,
RESOLVES:
1. To reaffirm interest in the continuation and completion of the SISMEL project as proposed in document OEA/Ser.K/XII.11 RESDA-XI/INF.8/00, “SISMEL Proposal 2000.”
2. To request that the OAS General Secretariat pursue, through appropriate channels, the funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and other cooperation agencies that is needed for the successful completion of this project.
3. To urge all the ministries of labor, especially those participating directly in the SISMEL Project, to seek, through appropriate channels, the necessary official support for a favorable response from the IDB to the SISMEL 2000 funding request.
4. To request the country coordinating the project to keep the Chair pro tempore informed of how it is progressing, so that the Chair might consider it in the Advisory Committee responsible for ensuring proper consistency and coherence among the various projects submitted to the technical and financial cooperation agencies.
COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING IN THE SISMEL 2000 PROJECT:
1. Argentina
2. Bolivia
3. Belize
4. Colombia
5. Costa Rica
6. Chile
7. Dominican Republic
8. El Salvador
9. Grenada
10. Guatemala
11. Honduras
12. Jamaica
13. Mexico
14. Panama
15. Paraguay
16. Peru
17. St. Lucia
18. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
19. Uruguay
20. Venezuela
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE RESDA-XI/RES. 3/00
ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 25 February 2000
OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
February 24-25, 2000
Washington, D.C.
PROMOTION OF PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT, MICRO-ENTERPRISES
AND SMALL BUSINESSES
(Resolution approved at the fourth plenary session,
held on February 25, 2000)
THE MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR,
HAVING SEEN:
The Declaration of the Tenth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, held in October 1995 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the resolution “Strengthening of the Inter-American Labor System,” adopted by that Conference; and
The Declaration and the Plan of Action of Viña del Mar of the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, adopted on October 21, 1998,
CONSIDERING:
That the Plan of Action of the Eleventh Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor expresses the need to identify new and innovative policies and procedures for dealing with changes in the organization of production, with attention to micro-enterprises and small businesses, particularly in the areas of professional education and training, and social security, and
The progress made in implementing the multilateral projects “Policies to Promote Productive Employment” and "Promotion of Small Enterprise,” financed with resources from the Special Multilateral Fund of CIDI (FEMCIDI),
RESOLVES:
1. To request that the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States cooperate with the labor ministries in identifying, evaluating, promoting, and disseminating specific policies and programs aimed at fostering the development of productive employment and the promotion of micro-enterprises and small businesses.
2. To request that the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States collaborate with the Chair pro tempore, the Advisory Committee, the Working Groups, and the member countries in developing cooperation projects on policies promoting productive employment and micro-enterprises and small businesses, for possible financing by FEMCIDI and by other cooperation agencies.
3. To request that the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States keep the Chair pro tempore informed of how it is progressing with these projects, so that the Chair might consider them in the Advisory Committee responsible for ensuring proper consistency and coherency among the various projects submitted to the technical and financial cooperation agencies.
MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE ELEVENTH RESDA-XI/RES. 6/00
INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 25 February 2000
OF MINISTERS OF LABOR Original: Spanish
February 24-25, 2000
Washington, D.C.
VOTES OF THANKS
(Resolution approved at the fourth plenary session,
held on February 25 , 2000)
THE MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE ELEVENTH INTER-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF LABOR,
RESOLVES:
1. To express its appreciation to Mr. Germán Molina Valdivieso, Chair Pro Tempore of the Conference, and to Mr. Jorge Isidoro Nieto Menéndez, Minister of Labor and Social Welfare of El Salvador, for their efficiency and skill in directing the session and discussion of the Meeting.
2. To thank the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for their collaboration and valuable contributions to the work of the meeting.
3. To recognize the important preparatory work for the Meeting carried out by the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) and its efficiency in serving as the Meeting’s Technical Secretariat.
Appendix xi
REUNIÓN DE SEGUIMIENTO DE OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
LAS DECISIONES ADOPTADAS POR LA RESDA-XI/doc.11/00 rev. 1 corr. 1
XI CONFERENCIA INTERAMERICANA 12 April 2000
DE MINISTROS DE TRABAJO Original: textual
24-25 febrero 2000
Washington, D.C.
PARTICIPANTS LIST
PARTICIPANTS LIST
MEMBER STATES
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Lionel Alexander Hurst
Ambassador, Permanent Representantive
Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 362-5122
Fax: (202) 362-5225
ARGENTINA
Jefe de Delegación
Jorge Sappia
Viceministro de Trabajo
Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Formación de Recursos Humanos
Av. Leandro Alem 650
1004 Buenos Aires
Tel: (5411) 4310-6291
Fax: (5411) 4310-6352
E-mail: jsappia@.ar
Delegados
Juan José Arcuri
Ministro, Representante Permanente Interino
Misión Permanente de Argentina ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 387-4142
Fax: (202) 328-1591
Jorge López Menardi
Representante Alterno
Misión Permanente de Argentina ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 387-4142
Fax: (202) 328-1591
Israel Pedro Galín
Coordinador Investigador
Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Formación de Recursos Humanos
L.N. Alem 650, Piso 9
1001 Buenos Aires
Tel: (5411) 4310-6080
Fax: (5411) 4310-6177
E-mail: igalin@.ar
BAHAMAS
Head of Delegation
Dion A. Foulkes
Minister of Labour and Maritime Affairs
Ministry of Labour and Maritime Affairs
Nassau, Bahamas
Tel: (242) 323-7814
Fax: (242) 356-0222
Delegate
Donald Symonette
Director of Labour
Labour Department
Nassau
Tel: (242) 502-1051
Fax: (242) 323-4691
BARBADOS
Head of Delegation
Rudolph N. Greenidge, M.P.
Minister of Labour, Sports and Public Sector Reform
Ministry of Labour, Sports and Public Sector Reform
Bridgetown, St. Michael
Tel: (246) 427-2326
Fax: (246) 426-8959
Delegates
Carston Simmons
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Labour, Sports and Public Sector Reform
Bridgetown, St.Michael
Tel: (246) 426-2888
Fax: (246) 426-8959
Philip St. Hill
First Secretary and Alternate Representative
Permanent Mission of Barbados to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 939-9200
Fax: (202) 332-7467
BELIZE
Head of Delegation
Valdemar Castillo
Minister of The Sugar Industry, Local Government and Labor
Ministry of The Sugar Industry, Local Government and Labor
Belmopan
Tel: (5018) 23-921
Fax: (5018) 23-365
Delegates
Edney Bennett
Labour Commissioner
Ministry of Sugar Industry, Labour
and Local Government
Diamond Bldg
Belmopan
Tel: (5018) 22-663
Fax: (5018) 23-365
James Murphy
Ambassador, Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of Belize to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-9636
Fax: (202) 332-6888
Nestor Mendez
Minister Counsellor
Embassy of Belize to the United States
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-9636
Fax: (202) 332-6888
BOLIVIA
Jefe de Delegación
Luis Vásquez Villamar
Ministro de Trabajo y Microempresa
Ministerio de Trabajo y Microempresa
La Paz
Tel: (5912) 391-449
Fax: (5912) 371-387
Delegados
Ricardo Paz Ballivian
Coordinador del Diálogo Social
Programa de Modernización de Relaciones Laborales
Ministerio de Trabajo y Microempresa
La Paz
Tel: (5912) 410-986
Alberto Quiroga-García
Ministro Consejero
Misión Permanente de Bolivia ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 785-0218
Fax: (202) 296-0563
Raúl Palza
Primer Secretario
Misión Permanente de Bolivia ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 785-0218
Fax: (202) 296-0563
BRASIL
Chefe da Delegação
Francisco Dornelles
Ministro do Trabalho e Emprego
Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
Brasília, D.F.
Tel: (5561) 317-6543
Fax: (5561) 224-5844
E-mail: ministro@.br
Delegados
Álvaro Gurgel de Alencar
Assessor Especial
Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
Brasília, D.F.
Nassim Gabriel Mehedff
Secretário de Políticas Públicas de Emprego
Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
Brasília, D.F.
Murilo Duarte de Oliveira
Secretário de Relações de Trabalho
Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
Brasília, D.F.
Vera Olímpia Gonçalves
Secretária de Inspeção de Trabalho
Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
Brasília, D.F.
Maria Helena Gomes dos Santos
Chefe da Assessoria Internacional
Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
Brasília, D.F.
Tel: (5561) 225-1242
Fax: (5561) 224-0814
E-mail: mhelena.gm@gov.br
Leonardo José Rolin Guimarães
Assessor do Secretário Executivo
Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
Brasília, D.F.
Yvone Bezerra de Mello
Consultora
Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
Brasília, D.F.
José Márcio Camargo
Pontifícia Universidade Católica
Brasília, D.F.
Dante Coelho de Lima
Ministro Conselheiro
Missão Permanente do Brasil junto à OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 333-4224
Fax: (202) 333-6610
Roberto Pires Coutinho
Conselheiro
Missão Permanente do Brasil junto à OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 333-4224
Fax: (202) 333-6610
João Carlos Parkinson de Castro
Secretário
Ministério das Relações Exteriores
Brasília, D.F.
CANADA
Head of Delegation
Claudette Bradshaw
Minister of Labour
Ministry of Labour
Ottawa, K1A OJ2
Tel: (819) 953-5646
Fax: (819) 994-5168
Delegates
Michael Barluk
Executive Assistant to the Minister
Ministry of Labour
Ottawa, K1A OJ2
Peter Brander
Policy Advisor to the Minister
Ministry of Labour
Ottawa, K1A OJ2
Norman Doyle
M.P., St. John’s East
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Pat Martin
M.P., Winnipeg Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba
M. Warren Edmondson
Assistant Deputy Minister of Labour
And Head of the Federal Mediation on Conciliation Service
Hull, Quebec, Canada
Tel: (819) 997-1493
Gary Parent
President
Windsor Labour Council
Canada
Peter M. Boehm
Ambassador, Permanent Representantive
Permanent Mission of Canada to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 682-1768
Fax: (202) 682-7624
David Keithlin
Alternate Representative
Permanent Mission of Canada to the OAS
Washinton, D.C.
Tel: (202) 682-1768
Fax: (202) 682-7624
May Morpaw
Director
Inter-American Labour Cooperation
Labour Branch, Human Resources Development Canada
Hull, Quebec, Canada
Tel: (819) 994-6231
Fax: (819) 953-8494
CHILE
Jefe de Delegación
Germán Molina Valdivieso
Ministro del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Santiago
Tel: (562) 671-6443 / 696-4654
Fax general: (562) 698-8473
Delegados
Carlos Portales
Embajador, Representante Permanente
Misión Permanente de Chile ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 887-5475
Fax: (202) 775-0713
Guillermo Campero Quiroga
Asesor del Ministro del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Santiago
Fernando Echeverría Bascuñán
Jefe de Gabinete del Ministro del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Santiago
Pablo Lazo Grandi
Asesor del Ministro del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Santiago
Tel: (562) 698-8815
Fax: (562) 697-9106
Frederick Heller
Representante Alterno
Misión Permanente de Chile ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 887-5475
Fax: (202) 775-0713
María del Carmen Domínguez
Departamento Económico
Embajada de Chile ante los Estados Unidos
Washington, D.C.
COLOMBIA
Jefe de Delegación
Gina Magnolia Riaño Barón
Ministra de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
Santafé de Bogotá
Tel: (571) 287-7189 / 287-3434
Fax: (571) 285-7091
E-mail: mtdm01@col1..co
Delegados
Luis A. Ramos Botero
Embajador, Representante Permanente
Misión Permanente de Colombia ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-8003
Fax: (202) 234-9781
Libardo Rodríguez
Km. 16 No.94-46
Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia
Tel: (571) 61-65-047
Jaime Casabiauca
Ministro Plenipotenciario
Misión Permanente de Colombia ante la OEA
Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 332-8003
Aurelio Tobón Estrada
Consejero
Misión Permanente de Colombia ante la OEA
Washington, D.C
Tel: (202) 332-8003
E-mail: col.oas3@
COSTA RICA
Jefe de Delegación
Bernardo Benavides
Vice Ministro
Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
San José
Tel: (506) 221-0038 / 221-0238
Fax: (506) 222-8085
E-mail: vmorales@gobnet.go.cr
Delegados
Raúl González Nájares
Director General y Oficial Mayor
Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
San José
Tel: (506) 257-3483
Fax: (506) 221-8336
E-mail: rgonzalez@casapres.go.cr
Hernán R. Castro
Embajador, Representante Permanente
Misión Permanente de Costa Rica ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 234-9280
Fax: (202) 986-2274
Pilar Ramos Vargas
Asesora del Ministro de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
San José
Francisco J. Chacón Hernández
Ministro Consejero, Representante Permanente
Misión Permanente de Costa Rica ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 234-9280
Fax: (202) 986-2274
Luis Guardia
Embajador Alterno
Misión Permanente de Costa Rica ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 234-9280
ECUADOR
Jefe de Delegación
Martin Insua Chang
Ministro de Trabajo y Recursos Humanos
Ministerio de Trabajo y Recursos Humanos
Quito
Tel: (5932) 566-310
Fax: (5932) 900-569
E-mail: wtapia@
Delegado
Luis F. Valencia
Consejero, Representante Alterno
Misión Permanente de Ecuador ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 234-1692
Fax: (202) 667-3482
EL SALVADOR
Jefe de Delegación
Jorge Isidoro Nieto Menéndez
Ministro de Trabajo y Previsión Social
Ministerio de Trabajo y Previsión Social
Paseo General Escalón No.4122
San Salvador
Tel: (503)263-5439
Fax: (503) 263-5288
E-mail: mtministro@.sv
Delegados
Margarita Escobar
Embajadora, Representante Permanente
Misión Permanente de El Salvador ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 467-0054
Fax: (202) 467-4261
Eduardo Hernández
Consejero, Representante Alterno
Misión Permanente de El Salvador ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 467-0054
Fax: (202) 467-4261
GRENADA
Head of Delegation
Elvin G. Nimrod
Minister of Labour, Legal Affairs, Local Government,
Carriacou and Petit Martinique Affairs
Ministry of Labour
St. Georges, Grenada, W.I.
Tel. (473) 440-2050
Fax: (473) 440-6630
Delegate
Denis G. Antoine
Ambassador, Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of Grenada to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 265-2561
Fax: (202) 265-2468
GUATEMALA
Jefe de Delegación
Roberto Rodríguez
Vice-Ministro de Trabajo
Ministerio de Trabajo
14 Calle 5-49
Zona 1, Guatemala
Tel: (502) 238-3866
Fax: (502) 230-1061
Delegado
María Mercedes Andrade
Ministro Consejero, Encargada de Negocios
Misión Permanente de Guatemala ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 833-4015
Fax: (202) 833-4011
GUYANA
Head of Delegation
Henry B. Geffrey, M.P.
Minister of Health and Labour
Brickdom, Georgetown
Tel: (592) 261-560
Fax: (592) 254-505
Delegates
Odeen Ishmael
Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of Guyana to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 265-6900
Fax: (202) 232-1297
Donnette Critchlow
Alternate Representative
Embassy of Guyana
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 265-6900
Fax: (202) 232-1297
E-mail: Guyanaembassy@
HAITI
Chef de Délégation
M. Pierre-Richard Painson
Chef de cabinet
Ministere du travail et des Affaires sociales
Port-au-Prince
Delegado
M. Guy Pierre
Chargé d´Affaires à La Mission Permanente d´ Haïti
près l’Organisation des Etats Américains
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-4090
Fax: (202) 745-7215
HONDURAS
Jefe de Delegación
Hugo Noe Pino
Embajador de Honduras ante los Estados Unidos
3007 Tilden Street
Washington, D.C. 20008
Delegados
Jacqueline Cruz Ramírez
Directora/Modernización
Secretaría de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
Plaza la Norteña, Comayaguela, Honduras
Tel: (504) 237-97-78 / 222-89-51
Fax: (504) 222-32-20
E-mail: jackie_cruz_99@
mtrabajohonduras@
José María Reina Vallecillo
Asesor del Despacho Ministerial
Secretaría de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Tel: (504) 222-89-51
Fax: (504) 222-32-20
E-mail: jmreinav@
JAMAICA
Head of Delegation
Vilma McNish
Minister, Alternate Representantive
Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the OAS
Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel: (202) 452-0660
Fax: (202) 452-9395
Delegate
Shorna-Kay Richards
First Secretary, Alternate Representative
Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the OAS
Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel: (202) 452-0660
Fax: (202) 452-9395
MEXICO
Jefe de Delegación
Carlos Tirado Zavala
Ministro, Coordinador General de Asuntos Internacionales
Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social
14149 México, D.F.
Tel: (562) 645-2841
Fax: (562) 645-4218
Delegados
Sergio Arturo Venegas Alarcón
Titular de la Unidad de Comunicación Social
Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social
14149 México, D.F.
Lourdes Aranda
Consejero
Misión Permanente de México ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-3663
Fax: (202) 332-9498
NICARAGUA
Mario Montenegro Castillo
Ministro del Trabajo
Managua
Tel: (505) 228-2028
Fax: (505) 228/2103
E-mail: monteneg@.ni
PERU
Jefe de Delegación
Fernando García Granara
Vice Ministro de Trabajo
Ministerio de Trabajo y Promoción Social
Av. Salaverry 655, Jesús Maria
Lima
Tel: (511) 461-2600 / 433-1177
Fax: (511) 431-4906
E-mail: vmt@mtps.gob.pe
Delegados
Beatriz Ramacciotti
Embajadora, Representante Permanente
Misión Permanente del Perú ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 232-2281
Fax: (202) 337-6866
Carlos Chocano
Primer Secretario
Misión Permanente del Perú ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 232-2281
Fax: (202) 337-6866
REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Jefe de Delegación
Flavio Darío Espinal
Embajador, Representante Permanente
Misión Permanente de República Dominicana ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-9142
Fax: (202) 232-5038
Delegados
Ramón A. Quiñones R.
Ministro Consejero
Misión Permanente de República Dominicana ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-9142
Fax: (202) 232-5038
Rhina Durán
Consejera
Misión Permanente de República Dominicana ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-9142
Fax: (202) 232-5038
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
Head of Delegation
Osbert Liburd
Ambassador, Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 686-2636
Fax: (202) 686-5740
Delegate
Jasmine Huggins
Counselor
Permanent Mission of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 686-2636
Fax: (202) 686-5740
SAINT LUCIA
Head of Delegation
Velon John
Minister of Legal Affairs, Home Affairs and Labour
Ministry of Legal Affairs, Home Affairs and Labour
P.O.Box. 1640
Castries, Saint Lucia
Tel: (758) 451-9936
Fax: (758) 451-6506
E-mail: veljon@
Delegates
Andrew James
Labour Commissioner
Ciceron
Castries, Saint Lucia
Tel: (758) 452-5226
Fax: (758) 451-8735
Martha Louis Auguste
Alternate Representative
Permanent Mission of Saint Lucia to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 364-6792
Fax: (202) 364-6723
E-mail: Eofsaintlu@
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
Head of Delegation
Jeremiah C. Scott
Minister of Agriculture and Labour
Ministry of Agriculture and Labour
Kingstown, St. Vincent
Tel: (784) 456-1410
Fax: (784) 457-1688
Delegates
Bernard Morgan
Labour Commissioner
Ministry of Agriculture and Labour
Kingstown
Tel: (784) 457-1789
Fax: (784) 457-1688
Cecily Norris
Alternate Representative
Permanent Mission of Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 364-6730
Fax: (202) 364-6736
SURINAME
Natasha Halfhuid
Interim Representative
Permanent Mission of Suriname to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 244-2501
Fax: (202) 244-5878
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Head of Delegation
Harry Partap
Minister of Labour and Co-operatives
Ministry of Labour and Co-operatives
Port of Spain
Tel: (868) 623-4241
Fax: (868) 624-4091
Delegates
Michael A. Arneaud
Ambassador, Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 467-6490
Fax: (202) 785-3130
Jennifer S. Marchand
First Secretary, Alternate Representative
Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 467-6490
Fax: (202) 785-3130
UNITED STATES
Head of Delegation
Alexis M. Herman
Secretary of Labor
Department of Labor, S-2018
200 Constitution Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20210
Tel: (202) 219-8954 / 693-6001
Fax: (202) 219-5613
Delegates
Andrew J. Samet
Deputy Under Secretary
International Labor Affairs
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 693-4770
MacArthur DeShazer
Associate Deputy Under Secretary
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Luis J. Lauredo
Ambassador and Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of United States to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Sandra Polaski
Special Representative of the Secretary of State
For International Labor Affairs
Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
Fax: (202) 647-0431
Gabriela Araujo
Special Assistant
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Esther Benjamin
White House Fellow
Office of the Secretary
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Fax: (202) 693-6145
Christine Camillo
International Labor Officer
Office of International Labor Affairs
Bureau of Democracy - Human Rights and Labor
Department of State
Washington, D.C.
Terrence Daru
Regional Labor Attache for the Eastern Caribbean
U.S. Embassy
Bridgetown, Barbados
Steve Hubler
Guatemala Desk Officer
Office of Central American and Panamanian Affairs
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Department of State
Washington, D.C.
Ed McWilliams
Director
Office of International Labor Affairs
Bureau of Democracy
Human Rights and Labor
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Mark Mittelhauser
Labor Attaché - Brazil
U.S. Consulate General
São Paulo, Brazil
Tel: (5511) 883-2403
Fax: (5511) 280-2479
John Muth
Labor Advisor
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Department of State
Washington, D.C.
Jorge Perez-Lopez
Director
Office of International Economic Affairs
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Darnell Presley
Special Assistant
Office of the Secretary
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 692-6052
Fax: (202) 693-6144
Jean Preston
Economic Advisor
Permanent Mission of the United States to the OAS
Washington, D.C.
Fax: (202) 647-0911
Gary Russell
Manager of Multilateral Programs
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
James W. Shea
International Economist
Office of Multilateral Development Bank Affairs
Department of the Treasury
Washington, D.C.
Fax: (202) 622-1228
Michael Shelton
Deputy Summit Coordinator
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Department of State
Washington, D.C.
Benjamin Smith
Program Specialist
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Robert D. Wholey
Area Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 219-8538
Fax: (202) 219-6953
URUGUAY
Jefe de Delegación
Fernando Pérez Tabó
Ministro de Trabajo y Seguridad Social(I)
Montevideo
Tel: (5982) 916-3703
Fax: (5982) 916-3767
E-mail: convocar@.uy
Delegado
Ariel Callorda Salvo
Asesoría en Relaciones Internacionales
Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social
Montevideo
Fax: (5982) 902-8307
E-mail: alela@.uy
REPÚBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA
Jefe de Delegación
Lino A. Martínez Salazar
Ministro del Trabajo
Ministerio del Trabajo
Caracas, D.F.
Tel: (582) 481-1368
Fax: (582) 483-5940
Delegados
Virginia Contreras
Embajadora, Representante Permanente
Misión Permanente de la República Bolivariana
de Venezuela ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 342-5837
Fax: (202) 625-5657
Rubén Molina
Director de la Oficina de Relaciones Internacionales y
Enlace con la OIT
Ministerio del Trabajo
Caracas, D.F.
Estela Rosenblatt
Representante Alterno
Misión Permanente de la República Bolivariana
de Venezuela ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Luis Niño
Representante Alterno
Misión Permanente de la República Bolivariana
de Venezuela ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
César Alfredo Olarte
Agregado Laboral
Embajada de la República Bolivariana de
Venezuela ante los Estados Unidos
1099 30th Street, N.W
Washington, D.C. 20007
Tel: (202) 342-6824
Fax: (202) 342-6820
E-mail: cesarolart@
Magally Saavedra
Agregado de Prensa
Misión Permanente de la República Bolivariana
de Venezuela ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
OBSERVADORES PERMANENTES ANTE LA OEA
ESPAÑA
Jefe de Delegación
Francisco Villar
Embajador, Observador Permanente
Misión Observadora Permanente de España ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 265-8365
Delegados
María Isabel Vicandi
Observadora Adjunta
Misión Observadora Permanente de España ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 265-8365
D. Eliseu Oriol Pagés
Consejo Laboral
Misión Observadora Permanente de España ante la OEA
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 728-2331
FRANCE
Head of Delegation
Jean-Paul Barre
Ambassador, Permanent Observer Mission of France
to the Organization of American States
Washington, D.C. 20016
Tel: (202) 686-5061
Fax: (202) 244-9328
Delegate
Marie-Anne Courrian
Counselor, Alternate Observer
Permanent Observer Mission of France
to the Organization of American States
Washington, D.C. 20016
Tel: (202) 686-5061
Fax: (202) 244-9328
ROMANIA
Mugurel Stanescu
Third Secretary
Embassy of Romania to the United States
1607 23rd Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 332-4852
Fax: (202) 232-4748
ORGANOS OBSERVADORES DE LA CONFERENCIA
Consejo Sindical de Asesoramiento Técnico
en Asuntos Laborales(COSATE)
John J. Sweeney
President
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization(AFL-CIO)
815. 16th St. N. W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel: (202) 637-5000
Stanley Gacek
Assistant Director of International Affairs
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization(AFL-CIO)
815. 16th St. N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 508-6916
Fax: (202) 637-5325
sgacek@
Benjamin Davis
Coordinator, Americas Office
Solidarity Center
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization(AFL-CIO)
1925 K St. N.W., Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel: (202) 778-4507
Fax: (202) 778-6344
E-mail: bdavis@
Antonio Valiño
Asesor del Consejo Sindical de Asesoramiento Técnico en Asuntos Laborales
Casilla Postal 1094
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fax: (54114) 384-7140
Hassan Yussuff
Vice Presidente Ejecutivo
Canadian Labour Congress(CLC)
Anna Nitoslawska
Departamento Internacional
Canadian Labour Congress(CLC)
Víctor Baez
Secretario de Política Social y Económica
Organización Regional Interamericana de Trabajadores
de la Conferencia Internacional de Organizaciones Libres(ORIT)
Avenida Andrés Eloy Blanco - Edif. CTV, piso 15
Los Caobos
Caracas 1010, Venezuela
Tel: (582) 578-3538
Fax: (582) 578-1702
E-mail: orit@
Ramón Rangel
Representante Suplente
Organización Regional Interamericana de Trabajadores
de la Conferencia Internacional de Organizaciones Libres(ORIT)
Coordinador de Relaciones Internacionales
Avenida Andrés Eloy Blanco - Edif. CTV, piso 15
Los Caobos
Caracas 1010, Venezuela
Tel: (582) 578-3538
Fax: (582) 578-1702
E-mail: Ramonrangel@
Zoveida Serrano-Jenkins
Representante Mercosur
746 Thayer Ave. #1
Silver Spring, Md. 20910
Tel: (301) 589-8750
E-mail: acils@.py
Consejo Empresarial de Asesoramiento Técnico
en Asuntos Laborales(CEATAL)
Daniel Funes de Rioja
Presidente
I.N. Alem 1067, piso 11
1001 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fax: (54114) 331-1167
E-mail: dft@.ar
Carla Dancy
Director, Trade Policy, EDS Corporation
1331 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W(North office, Suite 1300)
Washington, D.C. 20004-1703
Tel: (202) 637-4961
Fax: (202) 637-6759
E-mail: carla.dancy@
Anna Walker
Manager, International Labor Affairs
U.S.Council for International Business
1212 Avenue of the Americas
New York, N.Y.
Tel: (212) 703-5047
Fax: (212) 575-0327
E-mail: awalker@uscib.or
ORGANOS Y ORGANISMOS REGIONALES E INTERNACIONALES
Oficina Internacional del Trabajo(OIT)
Víctor Tokman
Director Regional para las Américas
Oficina Regional para América Latina y el Caribe
Oficina Internacional del Trabajo
Lima 27, Perú
Tel: (511) 221-2565
Fax: (511) 421-5292
E-mail: tokman@.pe
Anthony G. Freeman,
Director, ILO Office
1828 L St. N.W., Suite 600
Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel: (202) 653-7652
Fax: (202) 653-7687
Daniel Martínez
Director a.i.
Oficina de Arca y Equipo Técnico Multidisciplinario para los Países Andinos
Oficina Internacional del Trabajo(OIT)
Tel: (511) 221-2565
Fax: (511) 421-5292
E-mail: martinez@.pe
Willi Momm
Director, ILO Caribbean Office
P.O.Box 1201
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Tel: (868) 628-1453
Fax: (868) 628-2433
E-mail: momm@.tt
Comisión Económica para América Latina(CEPAL)
Inés Bustillo
Directora
Comisión Económica para América Latina(CEPAL)
1825 K Street
Washington, D.C. 20006
Fax: (202) 296-0826
Rex García
Comisión Económica para América Latina(CEPAL)
1825 K Street
Washington, D.C. 20006
Fax: (202) 296-0826
The World Bank
John Underwood
Program Manager
Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Department
Latin American and the Caribbean Region
1818 H St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433
Fax: (202) 522-2119
Inter-American Development Bank
Gustavo Márquez
Lead Research Economist
1300 New York Ave.
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 623-2885
Badrul Haque
Senior Country Economist
1300 New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Tel: (202) 623-2493
Fax: (202) 623-2239
E-mail: badrulh@
Caribbean Community Secretariat(CARICOM)
Jefe de Delegación
John Edward Greene
Assistant Secretary General
Human and Social Development
Bank of Guyana Building
P.O.Box 10827
Georgetown, Guyana
Tel: (592) 25-1960
Fax: (592) 25-8039
Delegado
Steven MacAndrew
Deputy Programme Manager, Labour and
Manpower Development
Bank of Guyana Building
P.O.Box 10827
Georgetown, Guyana
Tel: (592) 25-1960
Fax: (592) 25-8039
PROALCA
Danilo Ugalde Vargas
Asistente Técnico
Calle 31 entre Avenidas 10 y 12
San José, Costa Rica
Tel: (506) 280-5437
Fax: (506) 280-7462
E-mail: proalca@sol.racsa.co.cr
CONSULTOR
Carlos Monge Rodríguez
Calle 31 entre Avenidas 10 y 12
San José, Costa Rica
Tel: (506) 280-5437
Fax: (506) 280-7462
E-mail: proalca@sol.racsa.co.cr
SECRETARÍA GENERAL DE LA ORGANIZACIÓN DE LOS ESTADOS AMERICANOS
GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
César Gaviria
Secretario General
17th and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Alejandro Foxley
Asesor
Oficina del Secretario General
17th and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel. (202) 458-3649
Fax: (202) 458-3665
E-mail: afoxley@
Benno Sander
Director, Unidad de Desarrollo Social y Educación
1819 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel (202) 458-3438
Fax (202) 458-3744
E-mail: bsander@
Secretaría Técnica de la Conferencia
Jorge D. García
Secretario Técnico de la Conferencia
Interamericana de Ministros de Trabajo
1889 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel. (202) 458-3311
Fax (202) 458-3280
E-mail: jdgarcia@
Germán Zincke
Asesor Técnico de la Conferencia
Interamericana de Ministros de Trabajo
1889 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel. (202) 458-3225
Fax (202) 458-3476
E-mail: gzincke@
Servicios de Conferencia
Luis Mathó
Jefe de Conferencia
Secretaría de Conferencias y Reuniones de la OEA
19th &Constitution Ave., NW N.W. ADM-133
Washington, D.C. 20006 USA
Tel. (202) 458-6098
Fax (202) 458-3335
E-mail: lmatho@
Maria Tereza F. Davis
Jefe de Documentos
Secretaría de Conferencias y Reuniones de la OEA
19th &Constitution Ave., NW N.W. ADM-107
Washington, D.C. 20006 USA
Tel. (202) 458-6372
Fax (202) 458-3214
E-mail: tdavis@
Fernando Arandia
Jefe de Servicios de Sala
17th &Constitution Ave., NW N.W. MNB-12B
Washington, D.C. 20006 USA
Tel. (202) 458-3310
Fax (202) 458-3919
E-mail: Farandia@
APPENDIX XII
REUNIÓN DE SEGUIMIENTO DE LAS OEA/Ser.K/XII.11
DECISIONES ADOPTADAS POR LA XI RESDA-XI/doc.1/00 rev. 1
CONFERENCIA INTERAMERICANA 12 abril 2000
DE MINISTROS DE TRABAJO TEXTUAL
24 - 25 de febrero de 2000
Washington, D.C.
LIST OF DOCUMENTS REGISTERED BY THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT
LIST OF DOCUMENTS REGISTERED BY THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT
|No. del | | |
|Documento |Título [4]/ |Idiomas [5]/ |
|RESDA-XI/doc.1/00 |Lista de documentos registrados por la Secretaría hasta el -25 de febrero |Textual |
|(TB01052) |de 2000 | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.1/00 rev. 1 |Lista de documentos registrados por la Secretaría |Textual |
|(TB01109) | | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.2/00 |Agenda preliminar |E I F P |
|(TB01053) | | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.3/00 |Calendario de actividades |E I F P |
|(TB01054) | | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.3/00 rev. 1 |Calendario de actividades |E I F P |
|(TB01081) | | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.4/00 |Propuestas de áreas de política laboral que pudiesen ser objeto de |E I F P |
|(TB01055) |programas de cooperación técnica | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.5/00 |Las normas laborales en los acuerdos de integración en las Américas – |E |
|(TB01056) |Informe presentado por la OIT | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.6/00 |Resumen del informe las normas laborales en los acuerdos de integración en |E I F P |
|(TB01057) |las Américas – OIT | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.7/00 |Informe de los avances del Grupo de Trabajo II “Modernización del Estado y |E I F P |
|(TB01058) |de la Administración Laboral: Requerimientos y Desafíos” – presentado por | |
| |Costa Rica como país coordinador | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.8/00 |Informe de las actividades realizadas por el Grupo de Trabajo I sobre |E I F P |
|(TB01059) |“Globalización de la economía y su dimensión social y laboral”, presentado | |
| |por Perú como país coordinador | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.9/00 |Presentación del Presidente Pro Tempore sobre los progresos en la |E I F P |
|(TB01060) |implementación del Plan de Acción de Viña del Mar | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.10/00 |La acción de la Secretaría General de la OEA en materia de empleo y |E I F P |
|(TB01079) |asuntos laborales – Informe presentado por la Unidad de Desarrollo Social | |
| |y Educación | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.11/00 |Lista de participantes – versión preliminar |Textual |
|(TB01090) | | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.11/00 rev. 1 (TB01091) |Lista de participantes |Textual |
|RESDA-XI/doc.11/00 rev. 1 corr. 1 |Lista de participantes |Textual |
|(TB01108) | | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.12/00 |Informe final |E I F P |
|(TB01096) | | |
|RESDA-XI/doc.12/00 corr. 1 |Informe final |E I F P |
|(TB01107) | | |
| |
|RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED |
|RESDA-XI/RES. 1/00 |Proyecto Multilateral Sistema de Informacion sobre Mercados Laborales |E I F P |
|(TB01098) |(SISMEL) | |
|RESDA-XI/RES. 2/00 |Informe de progreso de los grupos de trabajo |E I F P |
|(TB01099) | | |
|RESDA-XI/RES. 3/00 |Promoción de empleo productivo y de pequeña empresa |E I F P |
|(TB01100) | | |
|RESDA-XI/RES. 4/00 |Propuestas de áreas de política laboral atendibles mediante cooperación |E I F P |
|(TB01101) |técnica | |
|RESDA-XI/RES. 5/00 |XII Conferencia Interamericana de Ministros de Trabajo |E I F P |
|(TB01102) | | |
|RESDA-XI/RES. 6/00 |Votos de agradecimiento |E I F P |
|(TB01103) | | |
| |
|INFORMATION DOCUMENTS OF THE MEETING |
|RESDA-XI/INF.1/00 |Primera Reunión del Grupo de Trabajo I – “Globalización de la economía y |E I |
|(TB01061) |su dimensión social y laboral” (OEA) – Informe final | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.2/00 |Segunda Reunión del Grupo de Trabajo I – “Globalización de la economía y |E I |
|(TB01062) |su dimensión social y laboral” (OEA) – Informe final | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.3/00 |Primera Reunión del Grupo de Trabajo II – “Modernización del estado y de |E I |
|(TB01063) |la administración laboral” (OEA) – Informe final | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.4/00 |Segunda Reunión del Grupo de Trabajo II “Modernización del estado y de la |E I |
|(TB01064) |administración laboral”(OEA) – Informe final | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.5/00 |Encuesta sobre flexibilidad laboral – Presidencia Pro Tempore - informes |E I |
|(TB01065) |por país | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.6/00 |Encuesta sobre estado de avance del Plan de Accion de Viña del Mar |E I |
|(TB01066) | | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.7/00 |Informe de progreso - Proyecto Sistema de Información sobre Mercados |E I |
|(TB01072) |Laborales (sismel) | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.8/00 |Propuesta SISMEL 2000 |E I |
|(TB01073) | | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.9/00 |La formación profesional en América Latina y el Caribe y sus avances en el|E |
|(TB01074) |enfoque basado en competencias laborales – CINFERFOR | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.10/00 |Resumen ejecutivo - CINTERFOR - OIT |E I |
|(TB01075) | | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.11/00 |Discurso del señor German Molina Valdivieso, Ministro del Trabajo y |E I F P |
|(TB01076) |Previsión Social de Chile y Presidente Pro Tempore de la XI Conferencia | |
| |Interamericana de Ministros del Trabajo | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.12/00 | |E |
|(TB01083) | | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.13/00 |Proyecto Multilateral Políticas de Fomento del Empleo Productivo - informe|E |
|(TB01084) |de avance 1999 (resumen ejecutivo) | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.14/00 |Palabras pronunciadas por el Secretario General de la OEA, señor César |E I F P |
|(TB01088) |Gaviria,. con motivo de la Reunión de Seguimiento de los Acuerdos de la XI| |
| |Conferencia Interamericana de Ministros de Trabajo | |
|RESDA-XI/INF.15/00 |Statement by Mr. John Sweeney, President of the American Federation of |E I |
|(TB01105) |Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Representing | |
| |COSATE | |
-----------------------
1. This corrigendum is published because of changes made to the list of participants (Appendix XI).
[1]. This refers to the labor standards in the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC), a NAFTA side agreement.
[2]. For fundamental rights, this document uses the concept established in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, adopted by the International Labour Organization in Geneva on June 18, 1998. The preambular paragraphs of that Declaration emphasize, inter alia, that “economic growth is essential but not sufficient to ensure equity, social progress and the eradication of poverty, confirming the need for the ILO to promote strong social policies, justice and democratic institutions.” Consequently, the Declaration maintains that “... the guarantee of fundamental principles and rights at work is of particular significance in that it enables the persons concerned to claim freely and on the basis of equality of opportunity their fair share of the wealth which they have helped to generate.” Likewise, operative paragraph 2 of the Declaration recognizes the following fundamental rights: (a) freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; (b) the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor; (c) the effective abolition of child labor; and (d) the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
[3]. The Committee on Freedom of Association of the ILO Administrative Council has always believed that the right to strike is a fundamental right of workers, an expression of the freedom of association, and one of the essential ways workers and workers organization can promote and protect their professional interests. Cf. Freedom of Association, a compilation of decisions and principles by the ILO Administrative Council’s Committee on Freedom of Association, ILO, Geneva, Fourth Edition (revised), 1996, pages 111 and up. Likewise, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (Art. 8.1(d)) and the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (Art. 8.1(b)) guarantee the right to strike, in keeping with the provisions of each country’s laws.
0. [4] Título registrado en el idioma original.
1. [5] E=Español; I=Inglés; F=Francés; P=Portugués.
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