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GB.270/11
Geneva, November 1997 |
ELEVENTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Report of the Committee on Sectoral and
Technical Meetings and Related Issues
1. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues met on 10 November 1997 and was chaired by Mr. Héthy (Hungary). The Employer Vice-Chairperson was Mr. Thüsing. Mr. Gray acted as spokesperson for the Worker members. Mr. Héthy and Mr. Thüsing paid tribute to the quality of Mr. Gray's past work in the Committee and to the way he had conducted it, as this was to be his last session as a member of the Governing Body.
I. Report of the Symposium on Multimedia
Convergence
(Geneva, 27-29 January 1997)
2. The Committee had before it the report.(1) An initial information paper on this Meeting was submitted to the Committee in March 1997.(2)
3. The Employer Vice-Chairperson indicated that this had been an interesting Meeting. The Employers' group had initially been somewhat hesitant about holding a meeting covering such a wide spectrum of different areas. The Symposium format had proven successful, however, and should be continued since it provided an adequate framework for a good exchange of opinions. At the same time participants had obtained valuable and interesting information. He noted that the Workers' group had expressed regrets that no conclusions were adopted, and the Office had also in some way pushed for the adoption of conclusions. But the Meeting had no mandate whatsoever from the Governing Body to adopt any conclusions. It had nevertheless been a good meeting and the report also contained proposals for future activities in this area. He stressed that the proposals listed at the end of the report represented a summary of the various proposals made by participants during the Meeting; they were not conclusions reached on the basis of a tripartite consensus. In this regard he requested that the French version be brought into line with the English. The Employers' group recommended that future activities in this area be dealt with in a similar, open way, rather than requiring that formal texts be agreed. In such a new area as multimedia, which was undergoing rapid changes, it was important that regulations and conventions did not limit ideas and initiatives. He also noted that a number of participants at the Meeting had called for the examination of intellectual property issues and expressed the view that this should be left to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
4. The Workers' spokesperson paid tribute to the memory of Mr. Chris Pate, the former Secretary-General of the International Graphical Federation, who had suddenly died on 15 September 1997. He recalled that Mr. Pate, although a young man, had a long experience as a trade unionist and had also attended the Symposium. He expressed deepest sympathy and condolences for his family, friends and trade union colleagues. On behalf of the Committee, the Chairman added his expression of sympathy to the family of Mr. Pate.
5. He expressed concern that the Symposium had only been a three-day event, that this had been costly, and that the rules for sectoral meetings had not applied. Nor had there been any concrete output. While it did not have to take the form of conclusions, the Office needed some kind of guidance for activities in this sector, at least in the form of an agreed list of issues to be examined. As the Employers' group had indicated that they were not mandated to agree on such a list, each group had submitted a separate list of suggestions for the Office to consider. The Workers' group preferred the regular type of sectoral meetings, which lasted five days and produced conclusions and resolutions.
6. A representative of the Government of Germany indicated that the views expressed on the Symposium had been mostly positive. The report contained many suggestions for future activities both by the Office and the social partners. The Symposium format had proved to be successful for such a broad topic as multimedia, but it would not necessarily be suitable for all subjects.
7. A representative of the Government of Panama considered that the ILO should use the Symposium as a model and continue to organize this type of meeting.
8. A representative of the Government of the United Kingdom agreed with the comments of the previous two speakers. Her Government was satisfied with the format and outcome of the meeting, which boded well for the success of the more flexible approach to sectoral meetings.
9. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body take note of the report and authorize the Director-General to communicate it --
(a) to the governments of member States and, through them, to the employers' and workers' organizations concerned;
(b) to the international employers' and workers' organizations concerned;
(c) to the international organizations concerned.
II. Effect to be given to the recommendations
of sectoral meetings
(a) Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies
on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel,
Catering and Tourism Sector
(Geneva, 12-16 May 1997)
10. The Committee had before it the Note on the Proceedings of the above Meeting and the Director-General's proposals concerning the effect to be given to the texts adopted by the Meeting.(3)
11. Mr. Gray stated that the Workers were happy with the results of the Meeting and with the report. It reflected the excellent working relationship between workers and employers, which had made it possible to adopt the conclusions and resolutions unanimously. He drew the Committee's attention to two of the resolutions to which the Workers attached particular importance: that on future ILO activities, which called for the Office to allocate additional resources to this sector; and that on the sexual exploitation of children and child labour, which should receive follow-up in conjunction with the work towards a possible new Convention. The resolution should be broadly disseminated by the ILO.
12. Mr. Thüsing referred to paragraph 11 of the Note on the Proceedings, which contained important views expressed by Employer participants at the Meeting. The Employers' spokesperson had commented on what his group considered an unbalanced presentation of the subject made in the opening speech. The Employers had also made some criticisms of the report submitted to the Meeting. Such reports should normally not be prepared by outside consultants, as it was a task for regular ILO staff. In general, the importance of the sector was not sufficiently reflected in the structure of the Office. He recalled that at the Meeting itself the Workers and Employers had regretted the lack of attention given to the sector by the Office. The Hotel and Tourism Branch had systematically been downgraded, although this sector was one of the fastest growing, and many of the enterprises were small or medium-sized. It was very important for job creation, and was also very dynamic in developing countries. The resolution on sexual exploitation of children was fully in line with the policies of the ILO. He noted with approval that the resolutions had been adopted by the Meeting unanimously, and expressed general satisfaction with the Meeting despite the misgivings mentioned.
13. A representative of the Government of Germany agreed with the Worker and Employer members regarding the importance of the sector and the need for its weight to be adequately reflected in the structure of the Office.
14. A representative of the Government of Panama stressed the importance of paragraphs 20-26 of the conclusions, which referred to ILO activities, and particularly paragraph 22. The ILO and its constituents should be very firm about such matters as training, employment and working conditions in this sector. As a tripartite body, the ILO's voice in these areas was authoritative.
15. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body authorize the Director-General to communicate the Note on the Proceedings containing the texts mentioned in paragraph 3 above --
(a) to governments, requesting them to communicate these texts to the employers' and workers' organizations concerned;
(b) to the international employers' and workers' organizations concerned;
(c) to the international organizations concerned.
16. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body request the Director-General to bear in mind, when drawing up proposals for the future programme of work of the Office, the wishes expressed by the Meeting in paragraphs 20-26 of the conclusions and in the relevant parts of the resolutions.
(b) Meeting of Experts on Safety and
Health in Forest Work
(Geneva, 23-30 September 1997)
17. The Committee had before it the report of the above Meeting and the Code of practice that it had adopted.(4)
18. All speakers expressed their satisfaction with the preparation and outcome of this Meeting. Mr. Thüsing was impressed that it had been possible to adopt by consensus such a lengthy and complex document. Mr. Gray reported that in the Workers' view this had been the best meeting for this sector in a long time, and that the opening speech by the Deputy Director-General had set the tone for a successful outcome. The Code should be printed and widely distributed as soon as possible. A representative of the Government of Germany considered that the preparation had been very effective, and that the practice of submitting the draft Code for comments to all member governments, and not only those invited to attend the Meeting, had contributed to the positive result.
19. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body take note of the report of the Meeting of Experts and authorize the Director-General to publish the Code of practice on safety and health in forest work.
III. Invitation to non-governmental
international organizations
(a) Tripartite Meeting on Employment and
Industrial Relations Issues in Oil Refining
(Geneva, 23-27 February 1998)
20. The Committee was informed(5) that it was proposed to invite the following non-governmental international organizations, besides those that have general consultative status with the ILO, to be represented by observers at the above Meeting:
- International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions;
- World Federation of Industry Workers;
- Trade Unions International of Chemical, Oil and Allied Workers;
- CONCAWE (Oil Companies' European Organization for Environmental and Health Protection).
21. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body authorize the Director-General to invite the non-governmental organizations listed above to be represented by observers at the Tripartite Meeting on Employment and Industrial Relations Issues in Oil Refining.
(b) Tripartite Meeting on the Human Resources Dimension
of Structural and Regulatory Changes and Globalization
in Postal and Telecommunications Services
(Geneva, 20-24 April 1998)
22. The Committee was informed that, in addition to the non-governmental international organizations that have general consultative status with the ILO, it was proposed to invite the following organizations to be represented by observers at the above Meeting:
- Arab Federation of the PTT;
- International Confederation of Public Service Officers;
- International Federation of Employees in Public Service;
- Postal, Telegraph and Telephone International;
- Public Services International;
- Trade Unions International of Public and Allied Employees.
23. Mr. Gray pointed out that the name of the Postal, Telegraph and Telephone International had been changed at its 28th World Congress in Montreal in August 1997. The new name was Communications International.
24. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body authorize the Director-General to invite the non-governmental organizations listed above to be represented by observers at the Tripartite Meeting on the Human Resources Dimension of Structural and Regulatory Changes and Globalization in Postal and Telecommunications Services.
(c) Tripartite Meeting on Technology and
Employment in the Food and Drink Industries
(Geneva, 18-22 May 1998)
25. The Committee was informed that, in addition to the non-governmental international organizations that have general consultative status with the ILO, it was proposed to invite the following organizations to be represented by observers at the above Meeting:
- International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF);
- World Federation of Agriculture and Food Workers.
26. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body authorize the Director-General to invite the non-governmental organizations listed above to be represented by observers at the Tripartite Meeting on Technology and Employment in the Food and Drink Industries.
(d) Tripartite Meeting on Breaking through
the Glass Ceiling: Women in Management
(Geneva, 15-19 December 1997)
27. The Chairman informed the Committee of requests from the following two non-governmental international organizations to be represented by observers at the above Meeting, which had been received too late to be included in the Office paper:
- International Confederation of Executive Staff;
- World Federation of Clerical Workers.
28. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body authorize the Director-General to invite the non-governmental organizations listed above to be represented by observers at the Tripartite Meeting on Breaking through the Glass Ceiling: Women in Management.
IV. Other questions
(a) Joint FAO/ILO/IMO Working Group
on Fishermen's Training
(London, 12-16 January 1998)
29. The Committee had before it a paper(6) in which it was informed that the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) had proposed to the Director-General that, in keeping with a resolution adopted by the IMO's International Conference on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F, June-July 1995), a Joint FAO/ILO/IMO Working Group be established to review the Document for Guidance on Fishermen's Training and Certification: An international maritime training guide. The Guide was prepared by a similar Working Group and published by the IMO in 1988.(7)
30. The Secretary-General proposed that the Working Group should be composed, as was the case with the Working Group that prepared the original Document for Guidance, of two representatives each from the FAO and IMO and four representatives (two Employer and two Worker) from the ILO, and that it should meet in London from 12 to 16 January 1998, concurrently with the 29th Session of the IMO's Subcommittee on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW-F). It would consider amendments to the Document for Guidance and possibly matters related to other STCW-F Conference resolutions.
31. The Director-General had responded favourably to the Secretary-General's proposals and informed the Secretary-General of the decision taken by the Governing Body at its 267th Session to include, in the programme of sectoral meetings for the 1998-99 biennium, a tripartite meeting on safety and health in the fishing industry which would, inter alia, assess what is agreed by an FAO/ILO/IMO Working Group.
32. The Worker and Employer members agreed with the point for decision on the understanding that they would be allowed to nominate their own representatives. A representative of the Government of Panama strongly supported the holding of the meeting.
33. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues accordingly recommends that the Governing Body --
(a) authorize the holding of the Joint FAO/ILO/IMO Working Group on Fishermen's Training in London from 12 to 16 January 1998, with a composition of four ILO (two Employer and two Worker) representatives, two FAO representatives and two IMO representatives;
(b) request the Director-General to communicate its decision to the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and to the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization.
(b) Joint IMO/ILO Working Group to prepare standardized
guidelines and format for the records of seafarers' hours
of work or hours of rest in accordance with the provisions
of the Seafarers' Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships
Convention, 1996 (No. 180) and the IMO International
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping, 1978, as amended in 1995
(London, 19-23 January 1998)
34. The Committee had before it an Office paper(8) in which it was reminded that, at its 84th (Maritime) Session (Geneva, October 1996), the International Labour Conference had adopted a resolution on the application of the Seafarers' Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships Convention, 1996 (No. 180), inviting the Governing Body to request the Office, as a matter of priority, to develop the standardized format and guidelines referred to in Articles 5 and 8 of the Convention, taking into account the texts and proposals made by the Conference Committee and the discussions thereon. It also recommended that a tripartite group of experts be convened by the ILO to assist in this exercise. The Office paper gave a summary of the progress of the work in this area.
35. Mr. Thüsing and Mr. Gray agreed to the proposed meeting. A representative of the Government of Panama also endorsed the proposal for the meeting, noting that the results would be valuable to countries seeking to implement Convention No. 180.
36. The Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues recommends that the Governing Body --
(a) authorize the holding of the Joint IMO/ILO Working Group to develop standardized guidelines and format for tables and records of hours of work or hours of rest, in accordance with the provisions of the Seafarers' Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships Convention, 1996 (No. 180) and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping, 1978, as amended in 1995 (STCW), in London from 19 to 23 January 1998, with a composition of four ILO representatives (two Seafarers' and two Shipowners' representatives) and four IMO representatives;
(b) request the Director-General to communicate the decision to the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization.
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Geneva, 11 November 1997. |
(Signed) L. Héthy, |
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Chairperson. |
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Points for decision: |
Paragraph 9; |
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Paragraph 24; |
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Paragraph 15; |
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Paragraph 26; |
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Paragraph 16; |
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Paragraph 28; |
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Paragraph 19; |
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Paragraph 33; |
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Paragraph 21; . |
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Paragraph 36 |
1. GB.270/STM/1.
2. GB.268/STM/6/2.
3. TMHCT/1997/14, appended to GB.270/STM/2/1.
4. MEFW/1997/3(Rev.) and MEFW/1997/4Rev.), appended to GB.270/STM/2/2.
5. GB.270/STM/3.
6. GB.270/STM/4/1.
7. Approved for publication by the Governing Body at its 238th Session (Nov. 1987). See GB.238/12/25, para. 63.
8. GB.270/STM/4/2.