| GB.268/STM/1
268th Session Geneva, March 1997 |
|
Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings
and Related Issues |
STM |
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Composition and purpose of the sectoral meetings
to be held in 1998-99
Introduction
1. At its meeting in November 1996, the Committee selected 12 sectors and topics to be included in the programme of sectoral meetings for 1998-99.(1) In accordance with the evaluation of the Sectoral Activities Programme that concluded in March 1995, the Director-General has drawn up proposals with regard to the size, composition, type of delegations and output for each meeting.
2. Provision has been made, in the Director-General's Programme and Budget proposals for 1998-99,(2) for a maximum of 480 participants, for whom the Office will bear the costs to the 12 sectoral meetings. This is in line with the outcome of the evaluation that the average size of all the meetings should be 20 participants from each group. The Office will also meet the expenses of up to 15 experts to participate in panel discussions, and of one Governing Body representative to preside over each meeting.
3. The sizes proposed below for the 12 meetings and the maximum composition of meetings that are not tripartite correspond to this maximum figure of 480. Any increases in the number of delegations to one or more meetings will therefore have to be matched by a decrease in the number of delegations to another meeting or meetings.
Criteria for the selection of member States
4. In proposing the member States to be invited to appoint delegates to the meetings, the Office has taken into account the following criteria, which are listed in paragraph 7 of the General characteristics for sectoral meetings adopted by the Governing Body at its 264th (November 1995) Session --
- the importance of the country concerned in the sector;
- the importance of the sector for the country concerned;
- maintenance of a balance between continuity and rotation in participation in meetings for the sector;
- appropriate geographical distribution;
- any other relevant factor.
5. Having noted the difficulty of obtaining full government representation in a number of recent sectoral meetings,(3) the Office despatched a letter dated 12 December 1996 to all member States to inform them of the titles of the 12 meetings approved by the Governing Body and to invite them to list, in order of priority, the meetings to which they would be interested in being invited, although the final selection would be made by the Governing Body. A deadline for answers was set at 10 January 1997. Two weeks after this deadline, the Office had received answers from 74 member States (a response rate of 43 per cent). Accordingly, the wishes and preferences expressed by member States and received by 24 January have to the greatest extent possible also been taken into account in the proposals made below. In this proposal, 88 countries are proposed to be invited to at least one of the 12 meetings; a further 13 countries are included in the list of reserve countries.
Duration
6. The duration proposed by the Office for each of the meetings is five calendar days.
Types of delegation
7. The Committee is called on to make a recommendation concerning the method of selection of the participants to the 12 meetings. Two possibilities may be envisaged --
- that the countries selected be represented by national tripartite or bipartite delegations;
- that the Government representatives be appointed by the governments of the countries selected and the Employer and Worker representatives be appointed on the basis of nominations made by the respective groups of the Governing Body.
8. In November 1995, the Governing Body agreed(4) that larger meetings would normally have national delegations, while smaller meetings would normally comprise delegates nominated by governments and by the respective groups. The size proposed for the 12 meetings ranges from 18 to 28 participants per group. Practical experience with the first five meetings held under the new structure of sectoral meetings has also been taken into account in determining the minimum size for a meeting.
Recommendations
9. The Committee is called upon to make recommendations to the Governing Body, for each of the meetings listed below, on --
- the duration of the meetings;
- the type of meeting (bipartite or tripartite) and the number of delegations;
- the method of selection of delegates;
- the countries to be invited;
- the countries to be included in the reserve list;
- the purpose.
* * *
The meetings
Voluntary initiatives affecting training and education on
safety, health and environment in the chemical industries
10. In most parts of the world the chemical industries are being pressed to demonstrate that their environmental performance is acceptable and is improving. To that end, and in addition to action to respond to legislative requirements, various voluntary efforts have been made by employers and their organizations. The most far-reaching of these is the initiative called Responsible Care. The training and educational aspects of the programme are especially important, since lack of understanding by the workforce, communities where chemical plants are located and the general public, of the health, safety and environmental aspects of chemical activities, is seen as a major threat to the industry's profitability and employment potential.
11. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 69 participants, and that the following 23 countries be invited to participate: Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Russian Federation, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
12. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Algeria, Barbados, Chile, Finland, Ghana, Islamic Republic of Iran, Nicaragua, Romania, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates.
13. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on employment and industrial relations issues in oil refining; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, employers' and workers' organizations at national level and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Human resource implications of globalization
and restructuring in commerce
14. Technological breakthroughs, the international mobility of enterprises and rapidly spreading competition-driven changes are now deeply affecting the organization and human resource strategy of commercial firms, often entailing a deterioration in employment and working conditions. The meeting will discuss these changes and seek to bring out human resource strategies that combine profit considerations and decent employment conditions.
15. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 75 participants, and that the following 25 countries be invited to participate: Burundi, Canada, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Nepal, Nicaragua, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Suriname, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey.
16. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Algeria, Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Croatia, Dominica, Finland, Grenada, Guatemala, Morocco, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Zambia.
17. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on and experience of the emerging circuits of distribution and their impact on the employment and working conditions of commerce personnel; to adopt practical conclusions that include guidance and proposals for further action on the adaptation of human resource policies and practices, and labour relations in commerce; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Technology and employment in the
food and drink industries
18. The food and drink industries are important sectors in most countries in terms of the employment they offer and added value. Their added value can account for 15 per cent or more of the added value for all manufacturing in industrialized countries and for a higher proportion in developing countries. However, rapid technological change in recent years, particularly in the application of micro-electronic technology to the production, packaging and distribution stages, has had a serious impact on employment, especially in industrialized countries. Both men and women have been affected, but women perhaps more seriously than men, since they tend to be concentrated in low-skilled jobs, which are normally the first to be eliminated when the workplace is mechanized. Given competitive pressures, this trend can be expected to continue.
19. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 60 participants, and that the following 20 countries be invited to participate: Burundi, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay.
20. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Argentina, Bahamas, Benin, Brazil, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia.
21. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on how the employment effects of introducing new technology should be managed and what the roles of the tripartite parties should be in that process; to adopt practical conclusions that include guidance and proposals for further action to help alleviate the problem of employment loss due to the introduction of new technology; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Terms of employment and working conditions
in health sector reforms
22. Reforms, cost efficiency and privatization are major elements for the restructuring of the health sector worldwide. The Office will prepare a report to analyse the impact of recent reforms in the delivery of health-care services and possible alternative approaches regarding terms and conditions of employment.
23. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be bipartite, including private employer participation, with a composition of 20 Government representatives, 6 Employer representatives from the private sector and 26 Worker representatives. On this basis, it is proposed that the following 20 countries be invited to participate in the meeting: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Niger, Poland, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia.
24. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Algeria, Bahamas, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominica, Finland, Ghana, India, Italy, Morocco, Suriname, Thailand, Turkey, United States.
25. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on the impact on employment and working conditions of changes in the delivery of health services caused by reform of the health sector in countries undergoing structural adjustment and transition to market economies; to adopt practical conclusions that include guidance and proposals for further action; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Safety and health in the fishing industry
26. Accident and fatality rates in the fishing sector are well above those in many other sectors. Many accidents and fatalities in this sector are a result of vessel casualties. Others relate to personal accidents resulting from inadequate equipment, improper use of machinery, deficient lighting and ventilation, as well as general bad housekeeping aboard. There are also a number of accidents as a result of slips and falls, manual handling and moving objects. Furthermore, fatigue and stress as a result of long working hours are also important issues. Accidents are often closely related to working conditions and the working environment in general, the human element being a contributing factor.
27. The Director-General has responded positively to a proposal by the Secretary-General of the IMO to establish a Joint FAO/ILO/IMO Working Group to consider amendments to the FAO/ILO/IMO Document for Guidance on Fishermen's Training and Certification. Furthermore, the IMO has included in its work programme for 1997-99 the revision of existing FAO/ILO/IMO codes and guidelines relating to safety and health for fishermen. It is foreseen that the sectoral meeting will assess the results of this work and formulate views on activities to receive specific follow-up in the ILO.
28. A resolution adopted by the International Labour Conference at its recent 84th (Maritime) Session requested that an early tripartite meeting for the fishing sector be convened to assess which of the ILO maritime instruments should be applied to the fishing sector through the adoption of appropriate protocols, and/or the adoption of new international standards for the sector.(5) Such work is also relevant to the issues of safety and health on fishing vessels, as labour conditions may be directly linked to these matters. The report prepared by the Office will therefore include information on these issues collected by the Office from member States.
29. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 54 participants, and that the following 18 countries be invited to participate: Algeria, Chile, China, Cuba, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States.
30. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Denmark, France, Ghana, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Tunisia.
31. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on safety and health issues in the fishing industry; to assess work done by the FAO/ILO/IMO Working Group and by the FAO and the IMO; to adopt conclusions which identify follow-up activities and review ILO standards adopted specifically for fishermen; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
The impact of flexible labour market arrangements
in the machinery, electrical and electronic industries
32. Flexible labour market arrangements (working time, work rules and job sharing, employment contracts, remuneration and pension schemes) have been widely introduced in the machinery, electrical and electronic industries, particularly in the industrialized countries, but more recently also in developing countries. The advantages and disadvantages of flexible arrangements for enterprises and their workers (in terms of greater efficiency, reduced costs and higher productivity, and possible changes in job security and earnings stability) depend on the skills and motivation of workers, as well as on the characteristics of a particular industry, on market conditions and, in some cases, on the effectiveness of unemployment compensation and social security schemes. Important questions have emerged about what forms of flexibility have been most successful from the perspective of the social partners, and why.
33. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 72 participants, and that the following 24 countries be invited to participate: Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States.
34. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Argentina, Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Ireland, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Nepal, Philippines, Turkey.
35. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on labour flexibility practices, their effects on employment and working conditions and on labour-management relations in the mechanical and electrical engineering industries; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments and by employers' and workers' organizations at national level and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Social and labour issues in small-scale mines
36. Small-scale mining, other than quarrying for building materials, is an activity that takes place mainly in developing countries. It is often considered a "fringe" activity and consequently ignored. It is fraught with many problems that are the concern of the ILO. None the less, at a time when developing countries are striving to extract the maximum benefit from their mineral resources, small-scale mining needs to be given full recognition for its contribution to national wealth when policies and regulations are developed and implemented. By becoming safe, stable and profitable, small-scale mining will move towards the formal sector and into the mainstream of economic activity.
37. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 54 participants, and that the following 18 countries be invited to participate: Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Thailand, United States, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.
38. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Brazil, Chile, Mali, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Viet Nam.
39. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on the social and labour issues in small-scale mining and discuss the role of governments, the social partners and the ILO; to adopt practical conclusions that include proposals for further action to help provide the means for small-scale mining to ensure safe, profitable employment and good working conditions; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Employment and industrial relations issues in oil refining
40. In many parts of the world the refining industry is under considerable pressure. It is being required or expected to make heavy investments to reduce direct emissions and/or to improve the environmental features of the fuels it produces. International competition has intensified because of trade policy developments and new investments in various regions, such as Asia and the Middle East. Large parts of the sector are being privatized, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Southern Europe. In certain regions there is excess capacity. Above all, new technology is reducing manpower requirements. These developments are threatening employment levels and changing the nature of the remaining jobs. The mechanisms of labour-management relations are being challenged to cope with these changes to the satisfaction of all parties.
41. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 57 participants, and that the following 19 countries be invited to participate: Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Romania, Russian Federation, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States.
42. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Bolivia, Ghana, Italy, Kuwait, Norway, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela.
43. It is proposed that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on employment and industrial relations issues in oil refining; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, employers' and workers' organizations at national level, and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Human resources dimension of structural and regulatory changes
and globalization in postal and telecommunications services
44. Against the background of rapid technological development and the proliferation of service providers, the meeting would mainly discuss the human resources dimension of structural changes in postal and telecommunication services and options for adapting labour relations, including collective bargaining, and for improving working conditions and personnel policies.
45. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 60 participants, and that the following 20 countries be invited to participate: Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States.
46. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chile, Cuba, Malaysia, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sweden, Turkey, Venezuela.
47. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to share experience in dealing with liberalization and deregulation practices; to discuss the social implications of privatization and restructuring, with emphasis on employment status and levels, labour relations, working conditions and human resources development, including training and retraining; to adopt practical conclusions that include guidance and proposals for further action on these matters at regional and international levels; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Human resource development in the public service
in the context of structural adjustment and transition
48. An assessment will be made of the organizational and management changes in public sector services and their impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery and on working conditions. The research will focus on the merits of privatization and out sourcing and the merits of the public provision of services and public-private partnerships. It will also address the various possible roles of government and public service entities and the role of workers' organizations in the modernization process. As a result of this research a draft for guidelines on human resource development in the public service will be prepared. The meeting will discuss this research and draft guidelines on human resource development in the context of structural adjustment and transition.
49. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be bipartite, with 56 participants, and that the following 28 countries be invited to participate: Algeria, Bahamas, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, India, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Suriname, Sweden, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Zambia.
50. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Armenia, Dominica, El Salvador, Finland, Gambia, Lebanon, Mali, Pakistan, Romania, Saint Lucia, Zimbabwe.
51. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to discuss the research findings; and to adopt guidelines on human resource development of the public service in the context of structural adjustment and transition.
Social and labour consequences of technological developments,
deregulation and privatization of transport
52. The organization of transport services is changing rapidly as a result of technological innovation. Deregulation alters the structure of the transport sector, and all forms of transport are being increasingly privatized. These developments are affecting management, the level and structure of employment, skills and training requirements, and workers' relationships with the enterprise.
53. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 69 participants, and that the following 23 countries be invited to participate: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burundi, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, United States, Zimbabwe.
54. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Austria, Benin, Bolivia, China, Finland, Gambia, Guatemala, Mauritius, Nepal, Norway, Paraguay, Russian Federation, Thailand, Uruguay, Zambia.
55. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to review the extent and implications of these changes with a view to identifying means of facilitating the adaptation of the workforce to them; to adopt practical conclusions that include proposals for further action to assist in the process of adaptation; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
Managing the privatization and restructuring of public utilities
56. A movement towards the privatization and restructuring of the water, gas and electricity industries has rapidly been gaining ground worldwide, entailing substantial changes in ownership structure, management, and the employment and working conditions of utility workers. The large scale of restructuring exercises and their vast economic and social implications constitute challenges for governments and the social partners.
57. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 60 participants, and that the following 20 countries be invited to participate: Benin, Croatia, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Grenada, Hungary, Israel, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, Russian Federation, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Suriname, Sweden, United States.
58. It is further proposed to place the following countries on a reserve list: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, Cyprus, Dominica, Guatemala, Italy, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Panama, Spain, Switzerland.
59. It is proposed that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on experience in the privatization and restructuring of public utilities and their impact on human resource development and service delivery; to adopt practical conclusions that include guidance for policy options and proposals for further action; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on the discussion.
* * *
60. The Committee may wish to make recommendations to the Governing Body in respect of the 12 meetings included in the programme of sectoral meetings for 1998-99, concerning --
- the duration of the meetings, as proposed in paragraph 6;
- the type of meeting and the number of delegations, as proposed in paragraphs 11, 15, 19, 23, 29, 33, 37, 41, 45, 49, 53 and 57;
- the method of selection of the participants, according to one of the alternatives proposed in paragraph 7;
- the countries to be invited to be represented, as proposed in paragraphs 11, 15, 19, 23, 29, 33, 37, 41, 45, 49, 53 and 57;
- the countries to be included on a reserve list, as proposed in paragraphs 12, 16, 20, 24, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54 and 58; and
- the purpose of the meetings, as proposed in paragraphs 13, 17, 21, 25, 31, 35, 39, 43, 47, 51, 55 and 59.
Geneva, 21 February 1997.
Point for decision: Paragraph 60.
1 GB.267/STM/1 and GB.267/11, paras. 5-18. These are reflected in the Programme and Budget proposals for 1998-99, GB.268/PFA/6/1, para. 100.9.
4 General characteristics of sectoral meetings, para. 6.