Working with Trade Unions on Youth Employment and Child Labour

To strengthen trade unions in the fight to eliminate child labour, and enable the unions to address youth employment issues through social dialogue.

Background and introduction

The main aims for the Norwegian funded ILO Workers’ Activities Bureau (ACTRAV) Programmes are to strengthen trade unions in the fight to eliminate child labour, and enable the unions to improve working conditions for youth through social dialogue. In both aspects, capacity building of workers plays a pivotal role. This is underlined by the fact that both programmes are being carried out in cooperation with ACTRAVs counterpart from the employers’ side in ILO, the Bureau for Employers’ Activities (ACT/EMP). Workers’ and Employers’ organizations are individually and jointly taking up activities under the ILO Norway programmes.

Objectives

  • Workers’ organizations strengthen their influence on national policies relevant to decent work through enhanced industrial relations and social dialogue;
  • Workers’ organizations contributing to job creation and poverty alleviation through the implementation of practical measures and initiatives aimed at bringing young men and women into decent work where their rights are protected; and
  • Workers’ Organizations enhance their capacities to address social dialogue and child labour and contribute for national policies and actions against child labour.

Programme partners

National Unions:

  • All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
  • Barathiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS)
  • Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU)
  • Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS)
  • Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
  • Labour Progressive Front (LPF)

Employers’ Organizations:

  • Employers’ Federation of Southern India (EFSI)
  • Southern India Mills Association (SIMA)

Joint Action Forums as functioning Bodies:

  • Tamil Nadu Trade Union Joint Action Forum against Child Labour (Trade Unions)
  • Tamil Nadu Joint Action Forum for Promotion of Youth Employment (Employers (EFSI & SIMA and Trade Unions)

The Programme associates and works through the various Government Departments for accessing various government schemes and programmes, and keeps the Labour Department informed of the project activities from time to time.