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Governing Body

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

SECTORAL ACTIVITIES PROGRAMME

TMHCT/1997/14

Note on the proceedings

Tripartite meeting on the Effects of New Techologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector

Geneva, 12-16 may 1997

Contents

Introduction

Part 1. Consideration of the agenda item

Report of the discussion

Conclusions on the effects of new technologies on employment and working
conditions in the hotel, catering and tourism sector

Part 2. Resolutions

Consideration and adoption by the Meeting of the draft resolutions

Texts of the resolutions adopted by the Meeting

Part 3. Other proceedings

Panel discussions

Closing speeches

Evaluation questionnaire

List of participants

Introduction

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector was held at the International Labour Office in Geneva from 12 to 16 May 1997.

Originally scheduled to be included in the programme of sectoral meetings for the 1994-95 biennium as the Second Session of the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Committee, the meeting was postponed by the Governing Body. At its 261st Session (November 1994) the Governing Body decided that the Meeting should be included in the programme of sectoral meetings for 1996-97.

The Office issued a report(1) to serve as a basis for the Meeting's deliberations. It addressed the following topics: recent trends and developments in the hotel, catering and tourism sector; new technologies and their impact on employment and working conditions in the three subsectors; training and industrial relations.

The Governing Body had designated Mr. Johannes, representative of the Government of South Africa in the Governing Body, to represent it and to chair of the Meeting. Owing to unforeseen circumstances, Mr. Johannes could not attend the Meeting.

The three Vice-Chairpersons elected by the Meeting were: Ms. Dunkak (United States) from the Government group, Mr. Binder from the Employers' group and Mr. Richardson from the Workers' group. In accordance with paragraphs 1 and 5 of article 7 of the Standing Orders for sectoral meetings, the Vice-Chairpersons agreed to share the Chairperson's duties.

The Meeting was attended by Government representatives from Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Morocco, Philippines, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United States; 26 Employer representatives and 24 Worker representatives. A Government representative from Nigeria was also present at the sittings.

Observers from the following international organizations attended the Meeting: Arab Labour Organization; European Commission; and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Representatives from the following international non-governmental organizations also attended the Meeting as observers: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions; International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees; International Hotel and Restaurant Association; International Organization of Employers; International Transport Workers' Federation; International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations; World Federation of Agriculture and Food Workers; and World Federation of Trade Unions.

The three groups elected their Officers as follows:
 

Government group

 

    Chairperson:

Ms. Di Iorio Andrade (Brazil)

    Vice-Chairperson:    

Mr. Tsunekawa (Japan)

    Secretary:

Mr. Veerapen (Mauritius)

Employers' group

 

    Chairperson:

Mr. Seiling

    Vice-Chairpersons:

Ms. Akindeinde-Ogunremi

 

Mr. Ali Khan

 

Mr. Phillips

 

Mr. Tucker

    Secretary:

Mr. Dejardin (International Organization of Employers) (IOE)

      assisted by:

Mr. James (IOE)

Workers' group

 

    Chairperson:

Mr. Edralin

    Vice-Chairperson:

Mr. Geneiro

    Secretary:

Mr. Dalban-Moreynas (International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations)

The Secretary-General of the Meeting was Mr. Ishida, Director of the Enterprise and Cooperative Development Department of the International Labour Office. The Deputy Secretary-General was Mr. Jennings of the ILO's Industrial Activities Branch (Sectoral Activities Department). The Executive Secretary was Mr. Belau of the Hotel and Tourism Branch. The Experts were Mr. Hofmeijer, Mr. Howell, Mr. Faymann and Mr. Soumah. The Clerk of the Meeting was Ms. Bezat-Powell.

Part 1

Consideration of the agenda item

Report of the discussio n (2)

Introduction

1. The Meeting examined the item on its agenda. In accordance with the provisions of article 7 of the Standing Orders for sectoral meetings, the Government Vice-Chairperson, Ms. Dunkak (United States), presided over the discussion.

2. The spokesperson for the Employers' group was Mr. Edmonds and the spokesperson for the Workers' group was Mr. Edralin.

3. The Meeting held five sittings with Ms. Dunkak as Chairperson.

Composition of the Working Party

4. At its fifth plenary sitting, in accordance with the provisions of article 13, paragraph 2, of the Standing Orders, the Meeting set up a Working Party to draw up draft conclusions reflecting the views expressed in the course of the Meeting's discussion of the report. The Working Party, presided over by the Government Vice-Chairperson, was composed of the following members:

Government members
 

    Brazil:

Ms. Di Iorio Andrade

    Canada:

Ms. Looye

    Kenya:

Mr. Sio (adviser)

    Spain

Mr. Jiménez Fontes

    United States:   

Ms. Dunkak

Employer members

Presentation of the report and general discussion

5. Introducing the report, the Executive Secretary said that notwithstanding its economic importance the heterogeneous nature of the sector made comprehensive quantitative data difficult to obtain and provide. Nevertheless, many relevant sources had been used, consultants had visited key institutions and organizations including employers' and workers' organizations, and a wide range of interlocutors had been consulted, among whom a number of participants at the First Session of the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Committee (1989). He hoped the report would be useful not only as a basis for discussion, but also as a reference document to support the ongoing work of participants at home, although dynamic and rapid change continued to characterize the industry.

6. A representative of the Government of Spain congratulated those responsible for the report. He wanted to stress that new technology both affected and was affected by the new organizational management ideas. There were far-reaching implications for management and workers in the move this implied toward the learning organization foreseen by many qualified commentators.

7. An observer, General Secretary of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF), said that the hospitality industry depended for its success on the abilities and commitment of those who worked in it. Therefore, dealing with technological change required the input of all with a stake in the industry, which called for the fullest consultation and negotiation with the trade unions representing workers in the sector. Like any other change, it would most successfully be introduced if those unions were involved from the start as equal partners. A unilateral and insensitive introduction of new technology could only increase the sense of insecurity of employment that already affected human resource development and efficiency in the sector. The speaker stressed the importance of constructive and positive labour-management relations in ensuring that all in the sector were treated equally with overall benefit. He referred to the essential responsibilities of employers and governments in recognizing and embracing the ILO's core labour standards and emphasized that ratification of the Working Conditions (Hotels and Restaurants) Convention (No. 172) and Recommendation (No. 179), 1991, would also represent a recognition on the part of governments, employers and unions of workers' primary role in the industry. While there were still too many examples of employers who failed to see the value to the sector's development of effective and involved workers' organizations, a recent agreement concluded with an international hotel group had shown how workers' full rights could readily be recognized and respected.

8. An Employer member from Canada noted that by 2005 travel and tourism would be the largest industry in the world, from which governments, employers and workers would all benefit. He said that flexibility was desirable, necessary and a widely held objective in the industry. It was the responsibility and prerogative of the employers to introduce technological change in response to changing conditions and customer demand. He reiterated the Employers' group's objections to Convention No. 172.

9. A Worker member from the United States responded that too many travesties were ascribed to "flexibility", such as workers' hours being cut to the point where they could not support their families. This was supported by another Worker member, from Australia, who said that both employers and workers were implicated in the process of introducing new technologies. Forcing change was not the most productive way of introducing it.

10. A representative of the Government of Morocco said that technological change varied greatly between countries. Many developing countries, particularly in Africa, had experienced the often severe impact of structural adjustment. He wondered whether this was what was meant by flexibility of employment.

11. The spokesperson for the Employers' group welcomed the report as a basis for discussion, and appreciated it for the useful data it contained. He said that the objective of all was the viable, sustainable and continuing growth of the sector, with the resultant benefits accruing to all parties. However, several issues in the report were viewed with some concern by his group. Firstly, the report tended to convey a negative impression of the industry in relation to the introduction of new technology. The vital point was not whether but how new technology would be introduced. He agreed it was important to reduce the stress engendered by rapid technological change, but this affected employers and workers alike. Issues like multiskilling and job combination had to be faced alongside the competitiveness and continuing viability of businesses, and the effect of this on the welfare of workers. Secondly, he wished to declare firmly that the decision to implement new technology was the exclusive province of employers, who had to respond to market demand. Naturally, people directly affected needed to be involved and consulted, but he opposed prescriptive constraints on legitimate employer decisions. Thirdly, he was concerned that both the report and the remarks of the Deputy Director-General at the start of the Meeting had portrayed the sector unfairly and unfavourably and the group regretted, in both instances, the apparent lack of impartiality. Low wages, high turnover, poor career prospects, prostitution and child labour had been mentioned, when in reality the sector was characterized by exciting growth, economic development and ample new revenue to the benefit of government, employers and workers. Wrong conclusions had been drawn from the statistics. For example, he suggested that part-time work and labour turnover mainly reflected responsiveness to customer demand and to flexible job creation for workers. The industry was an important entry point for unskilled workers who, while they often left to work elsewhere in the industry or outside, retained the skills they acquired. Fourthly, there was no evidence, in the report or elsewhere, that new technology displaced workers. Instead, the introduction of management information systems and new computer technologies identified problem areas for productivity and underlined for employers the actual cost of labour turnover. Information was a great leveller in organizations, facilitated employer-worker collaboration and pointed to training needs and opportunities. In conclusion, he stated two fundamental principles of the Employers' group. One was to seek from the Meeting a tripartite commitment to industry profitability and productivity which was fundamental to creating real and substantial jobs; the other was the Employers' vehement opposition to any prescriptive restraints that tended to impede their ability to respond quickly to customer demand by introducing new technology adapted to the new needs of the global market.

12. The spokesperson for the Workers' group said that he was pleased there was consensus on two important points: that the sector had one of the highest growth rates of any and promised to be the biggest world industry in the next decade; and that this importance was not reflected in the small unit in the Office which was responsible for ILO activities in the sector. While the report provided an interesting basis for discussion, it highlighted various additional needs. These included the need: to improve the availability of data for purposes of inter-country comparison; to examine factors such as unemployment which impeded tourism growth through the economic constraints faced by the unemployed; and to address the growing precariousness of jobs and the lack of planning in tourism development which brought the environmental and social evils of mass tourism. The content of the report was patchy. Thus, the impact of new technologies on working conditions was well described but the report was less adequate in its consideration of health, safety and environment issues, as well as those relating to trade union representation. New methods of human resource management were tending to short-circuit trade union involvement. The growth of tourism was in the general interest. Employers could expect a fair return on their investment and government could anticipate enhanced revenues. Workers, however, had an even greater interest since tourism was generally their main source of livelihood and, more than in all other sectors, was a people-to-people industry which meant that the quality of work was a prime determinant of the industry's success. He believed that in a global economy it was incumbent upon governments and employers to cooperate more in addressing common concerns expressed through free collective bargaining. The ILO had a responsibility to: address the negative aspects of sectoral development; address the need for sustainable tourism; recognize the role of workers in decision-making with regard to new technologies; consider workers in the informal sector; and bring to the international level the same standards of cooperation which ought to exist at national and enterprise levels.

Employment

13. The spokesperson for the Workers' group suggested that the Meeting should take up the conclusions of the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Committee (First Session, December 1989), where it was agreed that increased productivity should result from improved understanding of work and should not be a means to eliminate jobs. In answer to the question of how new technologies could be anticipated, he believed that improved data were needed on employment, workers' skills and job profiles; that an "observatory" was required on new technology in the sector; and that governments, employers and workers ought to collaborate in this regard.

14. The spokesperson for the Employers' group agreed and readily acknowledged the "people-to-people" nature of the sector. He suggested that because most employers were responsive to both customer demand and workers' needs -- consulting and involving them -- many workers might not feel a strong need for trade union protection. He pointed out that not only did the creation of full-time jobs from part-time jobs lead to the elimination of positions but it also often required a worker with a different skills profile to fill a combined post. The demand for part-time work was intrinsic to many parts of the sector. He encouraged the ILO to continue to carry out research and obtain and disseminate examples of best practice on casual and part-time work. He asserted that the effects of new technology would only be perceived fully and understood at the local and enterprise levels where the employer concerned should decide on the introduction of new technology and the development of a multiskilled workforce in order to remain competitive. He referred to concerns over outsourcing and subcontracting, but said that these practices could be a stimulus to job creation in small and medium enterprises which could occupy market niches in the sector, leading to more and better employment prospects.

15. A representative of the Government of Kenya said that the introduction of new technology was inevitable; the challenge lay in managing its introduction, the success of which depended on employer-worker collaboration, monitoring, analysis and training. It was not merely a question of computers and equipment; the people who handled the technology, without whom it was valueless, were equally important.

16. A representative of the Government of Morocco said that the objectives of the tripartite partners in relation to the sector were compatible. It was important that workers were seen as strategic actors, not merely as a factor of production. The mix of full and part-time employment led to the segmentation of work. More data were needed, not only on technology and its effects, but also on employment and training needs.

17. The spokesperson for the Workers' group invited governments and employers to adopt a preventive rather than corrective approach to the question of decision-making with regard to new technology. Pre-emptive cooperation, which had proved effective in his own country, was needed to counter ill-informed decisions taken at a distance from the operational realities on the ground. He was concerned that various elements of "union-busting" were being introduced in the guise of new technologies.

18. A representative of the Government of China said that the sector was very important for her country. There was a need to provide jobs for many redundant workers. She also was concerned that new technology could cause unemployment as readily as it created new jobs. More analysis was needed on the demand and supply of labour, and on forecasting the technological trends and employment effects. Further research was needed as a basis for policy. Workers needed to be adequately prepared for the demands of new technologies and a tripartite approach to guidance and training was necessary. Workers should be in a position to contribute to improving working conditions by using new technologies. Moreover, the specific requirements of small and medium enterprises as job creators needed to be addressed. There was a case for setting up employment services, training centres and providing guidance to SMEs to ensure more efficient tourism operations thanks to more effective workers.

19. A Worker member from the United States said that the Employers' group's reference to "third parties" was a code word that meant "union-busting" and was an insult to the Workers' group. He suggested that employers often sought casual, part-time and short-term workers in order to avoid having to provide benefits like health-care coverage. He hoped that unions would be seen as full partners in working out fair and sound responses to technological change and explained that these problems had been resolved through collective bargaining in many locations.

20. The spokesperson for the Employers' group reiterated that it was up to the employer to decide whether or not to introduce new technology and what technology should be introduced. In doing so employers recognized the need for prior discussions and consultations with workers and their organizations. Once a decision had been taken, further discussions were necessary to ensure that the change worked smoothly and any adverse impact was minimized. Where possible, these discussions should take place at the local level. In no way did he question the value of workers' representatives and certainly his remarks carried no suggestion of "union-busting".

21. The spokesperson for the Workers' group recognized management's prerogative to decide whether or not to introduce new technology. The key issue was how to smooth the path for all concerned. It was not surprising if unions reacted negatively to being involved after critical decisions had been made. Consultation should take place as early as possible beforehand.

22. In considering the role of employers' and workers' organizations in relation to preparation of the workforce for change (discussion point 2 of the report), the spokesperson for the Employers' group said that competency-based training must be encouraged, based on industry-defined needs. There was an important role also for the trade unions in training and educating their members since their learning would thereby be enhanced.

23. An Employer member from Austria drew the attention of the Meeting to the fact that much sectoral employment was in small and medium-sized enterprises. This was a very important factor in determining relations within enterprises, notably as it affected trade union membership, since workers had direct day-to-day contact with their employer, rather than through a trade union.

24. A representative of the Government of Spain said that the issue at point was unrelated to collective bargaining but was rather a question of changing attitudes and behaviour. The task of the Meeting was to find the means to bring employers and workers closer together so that by moving in the same direction both would win.

25. The spokesperson for the Workers' group agreed that many sectoral enterprises were small, but standards or collective agreements were necessary to help maintain their competitiveness through improved skills and service rather than through exploitation. Unions could help to achieve this.

Vocational training

26. The spokesperson for the Employers' group said that considerable progress in development of vocational training programmes had been made on a tripartite basis in many countries since the 1989 meeting. Employers and workers shared a common interest in promoting the skills needed in a vibrant, growing sector. Employers, who had a stake in obtaining skilled workers for the benefit of the sector, were committed to tripartite arrangements; workers' organizations, who could play a constructive role in the entire training process, had a stake in ensuring their members were employable; and governments should facilitate training and provide leadership.

27. An Employer member from Canada described specific training arrangements including determining needs and setting out competencies. He referred to the book The end of work (Rifkind) which had emphasized the need for attention to the social economy as well as the market economy. He foresaw the transformation of the sector towards a social economy as the only viable means of successfully channelling the efforts of labour in the future.

28. The spokesperson for the Workers' group welcomed the Employer members' views and agreed with them that training was a tripartite concern; this was a fundamental principle. The financing of training was a very important issue. All workers should have genuine and generous access to freely chosen training opportunities. The report noted that new technologies could have a severe impact on employment in travel agencies. Industry-wide retraining for new employment was therefore needed -- organized on a tripartite basis. Technological change could seem threatening to workers, and resources needed to be allocated to help familiarize them with new technologies. Hotel training institutes ought to offer suitable training programmes developed in conjunction with employers' and workers' organizations for this purpose. To improve training for small and medium-sized enterprises, tripartite agreement was needed on a suitable formula for the funding of training. Problems of worker absence during training could be addressed by making suitable temporary replacement arrangements.

29. The spokesperson for the Employers' group added that leadership was critical in bringing the tripartite partners together to promote the required training. Each of the partners had an important role in the training process. Governments, for example, could collect and disseminate statistics and information on best practices, identify technological trends and provide mechanisms and resources for various kinds of training. It was important to highlight that, as a service sector, the industry often made more exacting skill and personal demands than arose in manufacturing, which had implications for training. Governments could help stimulate career interest in the sector at the secondary level, including through the teaching of basic service and interpersonal skills, and help overcome outdated prejudices against work in the sector. The more people joined the sector with a long-term career aim, the easier it would be to overcome the image of "casual labour" to which the sector was sometimes prone. Many new types of training were needed, including management and supervisory training, training of training staff, and innovative training using modern technology. SMEs had special needs and training was needed in financial management, marketing and in the appreciation of legal obligations affecting the sector. Training ought to be demand-driven, and directed toward the achievement of carefully determined competency-based performance standards. Governments ought to provide appropriate incentives to those whose training enhanced the national skill pool. The end user, however, should be involved in the system, method and quality of delivery of training. A tripartite approach was the path to expanding it to ensure a highly skilled workforce with sound career opportunities.

30. A representative of the Government of Canada described the successful experience in her country of a "sectoral partnership initiative" to promote training. Employers, workers, national and local government, and education and training institutions collaborated in defining sectoral human resource challenges. Together, the partners developed a sectoral action plan to promote recognized occupational standards, lifelong learning and skills mobility, and to generate information about the sectoral labour market. Government provided limited financial support, but the initiative was driven by the private sector, collaborating in each sectoral council. In the hotel, catering and tourism sector, 30 comprehensive job standards and a certification programme had been adopted. A recent evaluation had shown a prevalent view among the partners that many entrenched boundaries were breaking down through the influence of the initiative, with training establishments being more responsive to the sector's needs.

31. A representative of the Government of Kenya said that funding of training was critical, particularly in view of the high costs in the sector. His Government applied a training levy on establishments in the sector, which had proved highly effective in defraying some of the cost. Proper recognition to trained workers in the sector would help to combat excessive labour turnover. Moreover, there needed to be a credible career path and constant research into such questions as changing job requirements, training needs and cost-benefit analysis. Maintaining a strong tripartite dialogue was essential, and this included consultation and collective bargaining at the enterprise level. New skills included training in the management of change, because new technologies required this. In view of their small workforce small and medium-sized enterprises had special needs such as financing training, job structures and specifications. The working conditions were often worse than in larger concerns, resources for training were constrained, turnover was high, and release of staff was difficult. Assistance was needed to overcome these problems and training institutes should take them into account. Better working conditions through proper certification and recognition of training would reduce staff turnover and improve the image of SMEs.

32. A representative of the Government of China said that the global economy and new technology had a major impact on the scale and structure of the sector, its work and its workers. The rapid growth of China's market economy had brought many more tourists to China, which created both advantages and problems. China had not hesitated to introduce the latest technologies applicable to the sector. Moreover, government, employers and workers collaborated in a tripartite spirit: government set and measured the attainment of skill standards; trade unions helped to ensure that workers obtained vocational training; and enterprises set up training systems corresponding to their needs, and financed training. Under this approach, China had succeeded in improving both the scale and quality of the training available, and in helping to generate the skills needed for coping with technological change.

33. The representative of the Government of India referred to the earlier remarks regarding the issue of the social economy. This was particularly important in relation to the sector because the viability of tourism was linked to sustainability and environmental protection. The importance of these aspects of tourism meant that employers and managers needed training on these questions and on the more traditional skills associated with the sector. Issues of sustainable development were addressed in the curricula of the various private and government-funded training institutions and bodies. It was also important to focus on the large unclassified part of the sector which was prevalent in rural areas. With help from the European Union, training was provided to SMEs in outlying areas. The results had been very useful, and she anticipated that the programme would be replicated and extended. In India, the hotel subsector employed at least 20 million people directly and indirectly. Strong growth was expected and human resource development was indispensable to this progress. To this end, new forms of training technology had to be exploited to the full and they had to be available at all levels of the sector.

34. A representative of the Government of Morocco said that training was the key to competitiveness of the sector. Customer satisfaction based on skilled service was at the root of a successful tourist sector. Research and investment in human resources would help to ensure that training programmes were adaptable to sectoral needs. His country had a training network of training institutions with a capacity for 3,060 trainers, including at higher management levels. In 1995-96 this training network welcomed more than 13,000 candidates of whom approximately 10 per cent came from other Arab, African or Asian countries. It was a source of concern to the Government that many graduates of these programmes left the sector. Training in the sector needed to be based on active cooperation between employers, workers, training institutions and government in order to define the types of jobs and thus determine training needs accurately.

35. The representative of the Government of Argentina agreed that the issue of sustainable tourism was essential to successful development of the industry. In Argentina SMEs amounted to 93 per cent of the tourism sector and were vital to its development. Tripartite cooperation at the municipal level in all parts of the country was important in assisting SMEs to be more competitive. She referred to the importance of women in development of the tourism sector. Often, when the local economy was depressed, it was women who had more developed inter-personal and service skills who were able to get employment. The speaker stressed the importance of health matters in addition to training and education.

36. A representative of the Government of Spain agreed with the importance of sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism. Creating the right social culture and ensuring the quality of tourism were critical to its future. Employers and workers had to work closely together because of their shared interest in sectoral success. The motivation of the trainee, who wanted to know what the outcome would be, was as important as the training itself. The mere provision of training was no guarantee of its success. Issues such as where and when training should take place should be agreed between employers and workers. The Meeting should offer clear guidance on the practical steps that were needed for both long-term and short-term training. Introduction of new technologies ought to pose no problem for well-motivated people. It was important to enhance the prestige of the sector if trainees were not to be lost and suitable recruits were to be attracted. The speaker drew attention to three areas where training was needed that were not related to new technology. These were food hygiene, social and language skills.

37. A representative of the Government of Italy said that tourism made a major balance-of-payments contribution. In her country the State offered occupational training programmes for the sector that led to professional skills and qualifications. Such programmes needed to be based on adequate research, which took into account the rapid spread of new technologies within the industry.

38. The spokesperson for the Employers' group endorsed what had been said about eco-tourism and ensuring sustainable development. Non-attention to environmental sustainability carried a high cost for the future of tourism. Initiatives were already being taken to work with -- not against -- nature, and to recycle waste products. This was a management issue in every industry, but was at the core of the tourist industry. He felt that this underlined the importance of seeking the highest level of teacher performance, which would lead to better trained managers, supervisors and staff.

39. A representative of the Government of Austria reiterated the sector's economic importance. The dual system of training which interspersed school and work experience was well established in his country. The individual worker was at the heart of success in the industry, and he or she needed the skills to be professionally mobile. To this end, the attaining of qualifications and their certification needed to be transparent and accepted throughout the sector. He pointed out that new technologies were only useful if they enhanced the service that was being provided by people.

Working conditions

40. The spokesperson for the Workers' group said that working conditions could not be improved without recognition of the trade union principles at the enterprise, national and international levels. He referred to the definition of worker representation as established by the Workers' Representatives' Convention (No. 135), 1971, and denounced the support given by certain Latin American employers to such in-house unionism as "solidarismo". The Workers' group called for respect for trade union rights as defined by ILO Conventions Nos. 87, 98 and 135, and for the ratification of ILO Convention No. 172. Improved working conditions presupposed collective bargaining and the conclusion of collective agreements on the consequences of the introduction of new technologies in terms of employment, working conditions, training and skills, job security, occupational health and safety and trade union rights. These agreements should clearly specify limits to flexibility in working hours and conditions of employment. Any action to improve working conditions should take into consideration the question of women's employment. The speaker drew attention to the content of resolution No. 4 adopted by the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Committee (1989) which urged the ILO Governing Body, inter alia, to encourage the ratification of the Equal Remuneration Convention 1958 (No. 100), the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention 1951 (No. 111), the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156), and the Termination of Employment Convention, 1982 (No. 158), to which the Workers' group added the Night Work Convention, 1990 (No. 171). At the same time, the Office had been asked to carry out studies on the situation of women employed in the sector. The Workers also insisted on the ratification of Convention No. 172. Workers' organizations should be provided with all available information on the new materials and techniques introduced, and should contribute to the information and training of workers concerned by the new technologies. They should be able to intervene to draw attention to hazards and, if need be, to demand the removal or replacement of material that would expose the worker to proven hazards. New technology should not be used to intensify personnel supervision, but rather to improve occupational safety standards, especially in cases where an employee was obliged to work alone. Efforts had to be made to see that technological advances did not harm the environment.

41. A Worker member from the United States stated that only free trade unions could bring about improvements in working conditions; governments should encourage the formation of such unions and regulate and legislate on the workers' behalf until they were sufficiently represented by strong organizations.

42. The spokesperson for the Employers' group, recalling earlier remarks on the alleged high turnover in this sector, stressed that much of it was planned or intentional, as people were often hired for particular circumstances or periods at their request. Because of the prevalence of SMEs, people progressed in their career by moving from one employer to another or by obtaining full-time employment after acquiring basic skills through casual or part-time work. These contributed to the sector's turnover which remained lower than in many other industries. Employers saw training as the most important factor in tying people to the industry and enabling career progression. Trained personnel had more secure employment prospects and, in the event of technological change, rationalization or downsizing, their skills were readily transferable to other parts of the sector or to other industries. Flexible working hours responded to the needs of those who would otherwise not be able to hold a full-time job, particularly women, young people and older workers. Flexible work arrangements were fundamental to providing good customer services and offered opportunities to persons who could only work on weekends or when their children were at school. An obvious way of improving working conditions and securing qualified labour was through open and frank discussions, consultations, and breaking down barriers. Increasingly, quality organizations were committed to providing good customer service. Traditional hierarchical organizations were breaking down more rapidly in this sector than in others and new arrangements were being opened through management information systems, technology and different communication systems, and employees were becoming valuable "knowledge workers". The Employers' group endorsed freedom of association and had no intention of undermining the role of unions since workers' representatives played an important role in an open dialogue. The anti-union activities mentioned earlier were not endorsed by the Employers' group. The freedom to join unions should be equal to the freedom not to join and employer-worker relations in SMEs should have a degree of flexibility that was appropriate to these enterprises. The speaker further agreed that collective agreements were a useful mechanism for improving working conditions; they had provided a flexible means of dealing with issues at the enterprise level. As far as the status and employment of women were concerned, the facts spoke for themselves. Women had made significant advances and were becoming a very dynamic and important force in the sector. The Employers' group endorsed a non-discriminatory policy, ensuring that women could compete with men for better pay and conditions of work. It should be recognized, however, that the special needs of women might lead to job-sharing, part-time or casual work. This did not signify that women were being discriminated against.

43. The spokesperson for the Workers' group stated that employers should not take unilateral decisions on the improvement of job security and career development. Redundancies should be subject to stringent procedures that obliged employers to justify decisions and to propose solutions for the re-employment of the workers concerned. Job security depended on the provision of appropriate vocational training and further training which enabled workers to remain employable. Restructuring and job losses caused by the introduction of new technologies affected women first. Referring to how managers could be better prepared to apply modern technology while taking account of the interests, rights and responsibilities of staff, the Workers' group considered that managers should be better trained in human relations and show greater respect for free trade unions.

44. A Worker member from the United States stressed that part-time work provided downward pressure on wages and benefits and was not conducive to retaining workers in the industry. Freedom not to join unions often turned into pressure not to join. Women were still discriminated against and held jobs with the lowest prestige and remuneration.

45. An Employer member from Canada responded that in the United States and Canada there were many women managers who benefited from employment promotion opportunities.

46. A Worker member reaffirmed that in Barbados and the Caribbean in general only a small number of women had reached management level. Concerning job security and career development he stressed that in Barbados a tripartite security protocol was recently signed which enabled discussion on ways to avoid lay-offs and, when redundancy was necessary, to deal with it expeditiously.

47. An Employer member from Nigeria pointed out that women should not be prevented from being managers because they were women; they should have the required qualifications and experience to be at the same level as men.

48. A representative of the Government of Morocco said that working conditions were regulated in his country and workers were in principle protected by legislation, including when hotels closed definitely. The introduction of new technologies and the necessary restructuring could increase recourse to flexible employment. Social marketing could enhance the image of the sector, attract trained, young workers and maintain those who were already working in HCT enterprises.

49. The spokesperson for the Employers' group, referring to the status of and opportunities for women, stressed that this was evolutionary. While there were no institutional barriers to women ascending to senior levels, it took time. Experience showed there was a large number of women working their way through the system towards the top. It was a question of commitment to a sector characterized by unsocial and irregular hours. Women employees were encouraged, supported and provided with training opportunities but it was just as difficult to transfer men as women to positions of increased responsibility; both men and women were increasingly, today, making lifestyle decisions and choosing to forfeit promotion. Multiskilling was another means of making people more employable and increasing job security, but in developing the relevant training it was important to focus first on how to make it work, not on how to share the benefits before the results were available.

50. A Worker member from Canada said that equality of opportunity for women went beyond the number of women in management positions. What counted was whether they could provide for their families and ensure their own job security. A recent study in Canada revealed that part-time employment was at the core of non-standard work and involuntary part-time employment was increasing faster than total part-time employment in the sector. The study also showed that most women wanted longer and more secure work hours. There was evidence that working conditions in the sector were poor. She called for a new commitment to collective bargaining and a recognition that there was a need for instruments such as Convention No. 175 on part-time work that granted equal treatment to part-time workers in respect of termination of employment, paid annual leave and sick leave. Home work was also becoming an important issue in the sector.

51. A Worker member from Egypt felt that temporary work had shifted the possibility of obtaining regular employment. Part-time employment generally required fewer social benefits and this encouraged employers to keep offering temporary jobs. He pointed out that in Egypt women workers were entitled to special social benefits which had led certain enterprises not to hire more women.

52. A Government representative from Spain pointed out that the question of women's employment should be considered according to realities. Although a recent study revealed that employers found women more capable than men, private enterprises still mainly preferred to engage men. The study proposed incentives for the recruitment of women.

53. The spokesperson for the Employers' group stressed that employers had to make commercial decisions. The cost of labour turnover was very high due to replacement and training costs, and the loss of productivity. Recognizing that part-time and casual labour turnover was higher, employers offered temporary employment only when there was a temporary demand for business. The only alternative viable solution was the introduction of multiskilling, which needed support from workers' organizations.

54. Several Worker members referred to the prevalence of part-time work in the fast-food chains and in some hotels because fringe benefits did not have to be paid to part-time workers.

55. The spokesperson for the Employers' group replied that it would appear appropriate to resolve these issues by collective agreement in accordance with local conditions. Many young people worked in fast-food chains by choice and received valuable experience for their future working life.

56. A Government representative from Spain pointed out that short-term employment in his country was seen as a means to tackle high unemployment, but it had reached alarming levels because labour legislation made it extremely expensive to dismiss long-term employees. It might be possible to improve the situation by limiting workers' rights to a certain extent in return for encouraging sustainable employment, as provided for in a recent agreement concluded between employers and workers.

57. A Worker member from France had understood the Employers' spokesperson to say that fixed-term contracts were used purely for commercial reasons, to meet customer requirements. In this case it should be possible to agree to a text which would say that the use of short-term contracts could only be done when required by the customer, not under other circumstances. Furthermore, if collective agreements could reduce precariousness, all the parties concerned should agree on the need to promote collective bargaining.

58. A Worker member from Australia said that the results of a survey had shown that most of the casual or part-time employees questioned preferred full-time work, while full-time workers sought job security. Employers needed to do more to offer full-time work and keep trained workers. He was not convinced, however, that multiskilling necessarily led to more permanent work.

59. The spokesperson for the Employers' group referred to the success of multiskilling in Australia. He underlined, however, that although a large number of part-time employees preferred a full-time job, many others preferred casual positions. The sector had a limited number of jobs available and it was for people to choose to work in them as and when they could.

Labour-management relations

60. The spokesperson for the Workers' group stressed that workers and their unions should be informed and consulted prior to the introduction of new technology. At the enterprise level bipartite committees could be established with the responsibility for drawing up an inventory of the effects of these new technologies and proposing appropriate measures to deal with them. Many such committees already existed throughout Europe. Agreements should be concluded on the introduction of new technologies and its effects on employment, working conditions, training, skills, wages, job security, health and safety and trade union rights.

61. The spokesperson for the Employers' group said that open and honest communication was essential, regardless of the size of the enterprise or organization. There should be no prescriptive restrictions on how the communication took place. The demands of SMEs were entirely different to those of large organizations, but no less important. The dialogue required might depend on the situation, the type and size of the business, but it was in the interest of all parties to ensure that everybody directly affected was involved in the decision-making process and implementation. The successful introduction of new technologies depended on the acceptance and support of all concerned. His group endorsed the Workers' commitment to this.

62. A Worker member from Japan pointed out that the introduction of new technology in the travel agency sector had a considerable influence on employment. Individuals could make direct reservations from their desks or via computer, leading to less business for agents and a reduced workload. Agents should therefore provide high-quality, specialized services that would attract and retain customers. These services would require investment and specific techniques and skills. Companies should provide for the necessary training of workers. The fruits of these efforts should be shared by employers and workers and agreed upon by negotiations. Whenever labour and management worked together in good faith, positive results could be obtained.

63. The spokesperson for the Workers' group pointed out that improving labour-management relations should not only involve discussions on the transfer of technology from large enterprises to SMEs, but also to enterprises in developing countries.

64. A Worker member from Germany reaffirmed that communication and an open dialogue between all parties could remove problems that might arise from the introduction of new technology. He appreciated the Employers' recognition that trade unions should participate in this process.

65. The spokesperson for the Employers' group reiterated his group's commitment to consult with all those directly involved in labour relations questions. This included the right of workers not to be represented by unions. The trend toward more sophisticated and better educated workers meant that many were well equipped to engage in negotiations on their own behalf. Since most interaction between employers and workers took place on a daily, face-to-face basis, it was important that key transactions were founded on a mature relationship. Where this process broke down, worker representatives from outside the company had an important role, as they did wherever practice, custom or need demanded it.

66. A Worker member from the United States said that this approach failed to take account of the overwhelming strength of the employer in the employment relationship, which meant that the individual worker was easily exploited unless his or her interests were adequately represented by a strong union or a concerned management.

67. The spokesperson for the Employers' group felt workers were increasingly able and equipped to safeguard their interests. Recalling a recent survey in Australia that had indicated the desire of part-time sectoral workers for full-time work, a survey in Denmark had shown that full-time workers sought fewer hours, even with a corresponding reduction in income. Clearly different conditions and expectations existed in different countries, which was one of the reasons employers were reluctant to mandate prescriptive solutions. Things were made even more complex when, as in Australia, laws required conversion of temporary employment to permanent status once a work time ceiling had been passed. This meant that previous temporary workers had to forgo the 25 per cent bonus usually paid in lieu of benefits, something they often did not want to do.

The ILO's role

68. The spokesperson for the Employers' group said that throughout its history the ILO had provided technical cooperation and advisory services to the sector. This was a more useful activity than standard setting in terms of contributing to the sector's growth. The ILO should encourage flexibility and in this way help the sector to flourish. The ILO also had a role in contributing to improve the availability of data about the sector, a deficiency which had been noted in the report. The ILO should contribute to the World Tourism Organization's 1998 meeting on world tourism statistics. In the information age, good data were essential to help governments measure the impact of the industry, to detect trends and to respond to the employment demands of rapid expansion in the sector. Finally, in relation to Convention No. 172, the Employers had not supported it at the time of its adoption by the International Labour Conference, and their position had not changed. Only seven countries had ratified the instrument and the ILO should not promote its further ratification because local customs, practices and conditions had to be respected.

69. The spokesperson for the Workers' group said that a prime role of the ILO was to secure the ratification of Conventions. Considerable efforts were devoted to their formulation and adoption, and they represented the core activity of the Organization. The social partners should push for their ratification, otherwise it would seem they were not serious in wanting to ameliorate working conditions in the industry and obtain productive, sustainable and well-paid employment. The role of the ILO in coping with the effects of new technologies depended on a greater insistence that member States ratify ILO Conventions. He referred specifically to the Conventions relating to freedom of association and protection of the right to organize; application of the principles of the right to organize and to bargain collectively; workers' representation; equal remuneration; discrimination; workers with family responsibilities; termination of employment and collective bargaining. He said that the ILO should devote particular attention to the ratification of Convention No. 172 and, among other things, provide the social partners with information on action to promote the Convention at the national level. He was surprised this issue had not received more attention in the report. Moreover, account should be taken of the conclusions of tripartite meetings, and follow-up reports should be made. The ILO should increase its efforts in research, technical cooperation, and data gathering on technological development in the sector.

70. A Worker member from the United States said that urgent attention should be given to the inadequate staffing of the unit in the Office that was responsible for the sector. It should be immediately increased in size from two to five professionals so that adequate professional sectoral experience was available to member States. The Employers' group endorsed this position. The ILO had to be in a position to respond adequately to the pressing demands of the world's fastest growing, and soon to be largest, industry.

71. A Worker member from Australia said it was odd that the Employers' group was unable to support the promotion of ratifications of Convention No. 172. The demands of the Convention were not onerous. The relevant Articles (4, 5, 6 and 7) were expressed in very modest and conditional terms, particularly regarding hours of work and rights in relation to work on public holidays. Moreover, rights in relation to non-dependence on gratuities, and the outlawing of the sale and purchase of jobs, were surely universally acceptable. He would be dismayed if these provisions were not thought reasonable in all quarters. He did not understand the Employers' group's position against ratification, and did not see why a position adopted in 1991 needed to be fixed for all time.

72. A Worker member from Austria said that it was frustrating there had only been seven ratifications of Convention No. 172. Employers were advancing superfluous arguments, and it was incumbent upon governments, at least, to make efforts to bring sectoral working conditions in line with basic expectations, particularly in the context of the developing countries.

73. The spokesperson for the Employers' group did not accept the argument that Convention No. 172 should apply universally. He also pointed out that the Convention was backed by Recommendation No. 179 which included more detailed provisions, whereas what was needed was to base decisions on these issues on local practice and demand.

74. A representative of the Government of Japan said that the ILO should encourage governments to ratify Convention No. 172 and should examine the reasons why so many governments had not yet ratified it. He noted that the report had been prepared by consultants. If the ILO were a "centre of excellence", why were there not staff competent to compile the report? Urgent steps should be taken to enhance the ILO's in-house competence. The placing of the hotel and tourism sector in the Enterprise and Cooperative Development Department reflected an intention by the Office to strengthen the link between employment promotion and sectoral aspects, rather than concentrating on sectoral workplace shortcomings. This was a welcome arrangement that might usefully be applied in other sectors.

75. A representative of the Government of Kenya said that the ILO had a responsibility to promote sound labour relations which safeguarded and improved working conditions, while assisting in the introduction of new technologies. To this end, technical assistance was needed by member States, including funds, material and equipment, to promote training of officials and tripartite representatives in labour relations, labour economics and related fields. Particularly, the ILO should assist in setting up programmes to assist managers in accommodating to change, and to assist social partners in ways of improving and measuring sectoral productivity. He agreed with the representative of Japan that the ILO should examine reasons why governments appeared to have difficulty with the ratification of Convention No. 172.

76. A representative of the Government of Morocco said that, within this sector, it was important to promote appropriate types of enterprises, including "citizen" enterprises. It was important that employers in small and medium-sized enterprises be sensitized to the better management, use and development of their invaluable human resources. Moreover, the ILO should promote the sector's image, particularly by undertaking studies on its long-term growth and employment potential. The sector also needed assistance in establishing appropriate management standards.

77. A Worker member from Canada said that the ratification of instruments which secured minimum standards was very important. It was misleading to imply, as the spokesperson for the Employers' group had done, that conditions varied as much as he had suggested. She saw no contradiction in the studies in Denmark and Australia to which reference had been made. She said that the Employers were using the concept to their advantage. She quoted authoritative sources in Canada as indicating that the incidence of "standard" working hours was declining, while the incidence of both shorter and longer working weeks was growing. Paradoxically, while the jobless total rose, some people were working longer than ever.

78. A Worker member from France objected to the view that the ILO should become primarily an advisory rather than standard-setting body. If this had been permitted to occur in the past, the ILO would long have lost its primary focus.

79. A Worker member from the United States wished to look further at the term "flexibility". The word could be defined and understood in various ways. Normally, it referred to work content or scheduling. However, it was being used by the Employers at this Meeting in a much more pervasive sense, namely one which entitled the employer to do whatever he wanted, to whomever, and whenever. In this sense, the term implied absence of standards, protection and rights, and would in fact represent a return to the law of the jungle in labour relations. Governments, particularly, should take note of this implication that clearly meant no prescriptions or regulations including taxes.

80. The spokesperson for the Employers' group said that flexibility was not one-sided, and both sides had the same interests. That the industry often demanded unsocial working hours of its workers was the outcome of other people's enhanced leisure, which demanded a service culture and response from the industry. Work in the industry would not suit everyone, yet in achieving flexibility workers or their representatives should have the right to negotiate equitable terms and conditions under which they were prepared to provide the service being demanded by the customer.

Consideration and adoption by
the Meeting of the draft report
and the draft conclusions

81. The Working Party on Conclusions submitted its draft conclusions to the Meeting at the latter's sixth sitting.

82. At the same sitting, the Meeting unanimously adopted the draft conclusions and the present report.
 

Geneva, 16 May 1997

.(Signed) Barbara Dunkak,

 

Government Vice-Chairperson

 

      of the Meeting.

Conclusions on the effects of
new technologies on employment
and working conditions in the hotel,
catering and tourism sector(3)

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector,

Having met in Geneva from 12 to 16 May 1997,

Adopts this sixteenth day of May 1997 the following conclusions:

General considerations

1. The hotel, catering and tourism sector, which is probably the most dynamic of any economic activity, depends for its continued growth and success on the abilities and commitment of all those who work in it. Addressing technological change requires input and commitment from all those with a stake in the sector's future.

2. Technological progress is inevitable and its introduction and operation can best be managed through the concerted action of all concerned at appropriate stages of the process. In this way employment, job security, working conditions, human resources development and labour-management relations can be enhanced to the benefit of all.

3. All the partners involved in the hotel, catering and tourism sector should actively work together to promote the positive aspects of the industry to governments, the community at large, prospective entrants and their industry partners. At the same time, governments, employers, employers' organizations, workers and workers' representatives(4) should work in partnership to continue to address issues that are detrimental to the image of the industry.

Employment

4. A dynamic and healthy hotel, catering and tourism sector can create significant employment. Governments, employers and workers' organizations should cooperate in analysing technological developments relevant to the hotel, catering and tourism sector, discuss policy considerations that concern its development at national and international levels and endeavour to improve the tools of analysis through better definitions and the collection of reliable statistics.

5. The best means to prepare the hotel, catering and tourism workforce for new requirements arising from new technologies for employers, workers and their representatives is to agree on programmes of appropriate training for workers so that their skills and professional mobility are enhanced in line with the requirements of new technology.

6. New technologies can improve the performance of large, small and medium-sized enterprises in both industrialized and developing countries allowing them to remain globally and internally competitive and commercially viable so as to increase their capacities to offer full, freely chosen, productive and well-paid employment.

Working conditions

7. Appropriately trained and motivated staff are a key asset to the sector and employers and workers' organizations should work together to ensure their retention, which is particularly important in times of change. Flexible working arrangements that are agreed with workers' representatives can lead to reduced turnover to the benefit of all parties concerned.

8. The introduction of new technology should not have any adverse impact on working conditions nor on the natural environment; rather it should lead to improvements. Workers and their representatives should be provided with all relevant information on the occupational safety and health issues arising from new technology.

9. Job security and career development in the sector are closely linked to training. They can be enhanced where there is a constructive, mutually beneficial and open relationship between employers, workers and their representatives with full consultation at the appropriate stage of the planning process. In view of the important contribution of women workers to the sector, due attention should be paid to their needs in this regard.

Vocational training

10. The evolution of the hotel, catering and tourism sector and the introduction of new technology mean that those currently employed in the sector or who are seeking employment could require improved, different and/or advanced skills. Consequently, in addition to the traditional focus on basic operative skills and craft-oriented vocational training, there is a need for training in communication, customer-service and interpersonal skills.

11. The provision of vocational training should be based on the industry's needs. To this end, governments, employers and workers' organizations should jointly examine changing job requirements and develop and recognize training criteria (competency-based where appropriate) and the certification of training achievements for the industry. They should also ensure that appropriate curricula and training programmes -- institutional and in-house -- are in place to enable the industry's and its workers' needs to be met. The traditional "supply-driven" training initiatives must be replaced by "demand-driven" allocation of training resources.

12. Tripartite hotel, catering and tourism sectoral bodies should be established at the national level to identify training needs, to disseminate information and to coordinate appropriate industry-recognized occupational standards (competency-based, where appropriate) and training delivery by public and private trainers. Proper industry-wide certification and recognition of prior learning can contribute to productivity improvement, customer satisfaction and better working conditions.

13. More attention should be devoted to training trainers, managers and supervisors, particularly in the sustainability of the sector and environmental and health concerns, in managing change and in creating an environment that would enable workers to make the best use of and benefit from their newly acquired skills.

14. Careful consideration should be given to the division of resources devoted to training new entrants and those already employed. Retraining and skill upgrading of existing workers through a process of "lifetime learning" are important means to strengthen their links to the sector and enhance career prospects. Workers should have ready access to training and should be informed of the benefits and opportunities that training offers.

15. Small and medium-sized enterprises may have particular needs and tripartite efforts should be directed towards finding solutions to financing training, providing management training and the temporary replacement of workers undertaking training.

Labour-management relations

16. Open communication, consultation and, where appropriate, negotiations between employers and workers' representatives are essential, regardless of the size of the enterprise. Such consultations should take place on a regular basis and on an equal footing.

17. While recognizing the employers' prerogative to decide on whether or not to introduce technological changes, such investments in new technologies, in particular, are more likely to yield the expected benefits if workers and their representatives are properly informed and consulted at the appropriate stage to ensure agreement and commitment.

18. Where appropriate, collective agreements may be necessary to cover flexible working arrangements and other issues, such as the repercussions of the introduction or transfer of new technologies on employment, skills, wages, job security, occupational safety and health, and workers' rights. Such agreements may be of assistance, in particular, to small and medium-sized enterprises to improve their competitiveness through the heightened skills and performance of their workers.

19. Tripartite national committees and bipartite consultations at the enterprise level should enumerate the effects of new technologies and propose appropriate measures for dealing with them.

The ILO's role

20. The ILO should ensure that it makes provision for the material and human resources commensurate with the importance of the hotel, catering and tourism sector and the issues it faces in order to carry out the follow-up activities arising from this Meeting.

21. Priority areas of ILO assistance to governments, employers and workers of member States should include technical cooperation and advisory services concerning human resources development, training including management training, and productivity enhancement. The Office should also carry out research on labour-management relations and the technical development of the sector and disseminate the results.

22. ILO constituents should have access to accurate data on employment and working conditions in the sector so that all parties can plan to deal with expansion and innovation. In addition, the ILO should become the prime repository of statistics on employment and working conditions in the sector and analyse and disseminate them. Moreover, the Office should, in cooperation with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and other international organizations, promote the image of the sector and undertake studies of its potential and disseminate the results. The ILO should promote and utilize the tourism satellite accounts proposed for adoption by the WTO in the collection of the data it disseminates as referenced above.

23. In view of the rapid expansion of the sector, including the increase in number of small and medium-sized enterprises, and of the rapid change in its technical procedures and corresponding management methods, the ILO should continue its research activities on the social consequences of new technologies; disseminate information on "best practices" concerning social responsibilities; pay due attention in its technical cooperation and advisory activities to labour relations issues; and take greater account of conclusions and resolutions of its tripartite meetings including proper reporting and follow-up as instructed.

24. The ILO should embrace the use of new technologies to develop, and to encourage others to develop, innovative methods of training delivery in order to assist employers, employers' organizations, workers and workers' representatives to increase the skill base of new entrants and existing employees in the hotel, catering and tourism sector. The ILO should encourage all parties concerned to make existing resources and infrastructure available at times convenient to the users.

25. To utilize effectively scarce training resources, the ILO should call upon member States to support industry initiatives to enhance the skill levels of those already engaged in the industry.

26. Notwithstanding the Employers' initial and continuing opposition to the Working Conditions (Hotel and Restaurants Conventions (No. 172), 1991, if requested, the Office should examine the obstacles to further ratifications and suggest appropriate action. It should organize tripartite meetings at the national and regional levels, if requested, to inform participants about the Convention and discuss its contents in the context of local or regional conditions in the sector.

Part 2

Resolutions

Consideration and adoption by the
Meeting of the draft resolutions

At its third plenary sitting, the Meeting set up a Working Party on Resolutions, in accordance with article 13, paragraph 1, of the Standing Orders.

The Working Party, presided over by the Government Vice-Chairperson of the Meeting, consisted of the Officers of the Meeting and three representatives from each of the groups. The members of the Working Party were:

Officers of the Meeting

Government members
 

    Argentina:

    Ms. Ayala

    Philippines:

    Mr. Young

    Spain:

    Mr. Flores Sentí (adviser)

Employer members

Worker members

At the Meeting's sixth plenary sitting, in the absence of the Chairperson of the Working Party and in accordance with article 14, paragraph 8, of the Standing Orders, the Employer Vice-Chairperson submitted the recommendations of the Working Party regarding the draft resolutions before the Meeting. As required by the same provisions of the Standing Orders, the other Vice-Chairpersons had been consulted on the contents of his oral report.

The Working Party had before it six draft resolutions, five of which were submitted by the Workers' group and one by the Employers' group; the six resolutions were deemed receivable. The Working Party examined the texts in detail and amended them where necessary in a manner that would secure general acceptance. The Working Party decided to merge two draft resolutions, both submitted by the Workers' group. The four remaining resolutions were also examined by the Working Party and amended, some of which substantially, within the time-limit set by the Officers. The Working Party recommended the adoption of the revised texts of the five resolutions to the full Meeting.

I. Draft resolution concerning enterprise
and employment creation in the hotel,
catering and tourism sector

The Chairperson reported that the draft resolution was based on a text concerning enterprise creation in the HCT sector, originally submitted by the Employers' group. The Working Party agreed on a number of amendments presented by different members.

The Meeting unanimously adopted the draft resolution.

II. Draft resolution concerning future
ILO activities in the hotel, catering
and tourism sector

The Chairperson stated that the draft resolution was based on two texts originally submitted by the Workers' group, one on future ILO activities in the hotel, catering and tourism sector and the other on the informal sector in hotel, catering and tourism. The Working Party agreed to a revised draft on the basis of amendments proposed by its members.

The Meeting unanimously adopted the draft resolution.

III. Draft resolution concerning the sexual
exploitation of children and child labour

The Chairperson indicated that the draft resolution originated from the Workers' group. The Working Party amended it to the general satisfaction of its members.

The Meeting unanimously adopted the draft resolution.

IV. Draft resolution concerning the development
of sustainable tourism and resulting employment

The Chairperson reported that the draft also stemmed from a text submitted by the Workers' group and that the Working Party approved an amended text. He called the attention of the Meeting to an omission in the text before it.

The Meeting unanimously adopted the draft resolution with the correction indicated by the Chairperson.

V. Draft resolution concerning freedom of
association in the hotel, catering and
tourism sector

The Chairperson reported that the draft also stemmed from a text submitted by the Workers' group. The Working Party approved an amended text.

The Meeting unanimously adopted the draft resolution.

Texts of the resolutions adopted
by the Meeting

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector,

Having met in Geneva from 12 to 16 May 1997,

Considering the key role which the hotel, catering and tourism (HCT) sector, as the fastest growing industry in terms of output and employment, plays with regard to the prospects for economic growth it offers to all countries,

Considering the importance of policies for the promotion of efficient, competitive and customer-oriented enterprises in the HCT sector in order to provide productive, well paid and sustainable employment,

Considering further that such policies should create conditions which provide equal opportunities for all sizes and types of enterprises in the sector in respect of access to credit, foreign exchange as well as taxation,

Stressing that enterprise success and wealth creation are essential for the enhancement of job opportunities, compensation levels and job security,

Noting the need for vocational and managerial skills for the success and development of the HCT sector;

Adopts this sixteenth day of May 1997 the following resolution:

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector invites the Governing Body of the International Labour Office to:

  1. call on member States to:
    1. create and/or restore the economic and social environment appropriate to the creation of enterprises and employment in the HCT sector; this includes, among others, appropriate fiscal, monetary and flexible scheduling policies to ensure the stability of the economic environment, particularly in respect of inflation, interest and exchange rates, taxation as well as employment and social stability;
    2. formulate and implement the necessary educational and human resource policies for their citizens, which will enable them to utilize technology efficiently and effectively as a means to generate more, better and highly productive jobs;
    3. adopt measures to develop and strengthen a culture which encourages individual initiative, enterprise creation, productivity, quality, good labour relations as defined in the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), and the Workers' Representatives Convention, 1971 (No. 135), and fair social practices;
    4. create an environment which recognizes the need for businesses to be provided with fair tax policies, legislation and regulation so that they can be competitive in the local, national and global marketplaces and can provide rewarding employment opportunities;
    5. pursue the development in society of entrepreneurial attitudes, with particular emphasis being given to professional and managerial skills;
  1. request the Director-General to work and cooperate with the World Tourism Organization and other international organizations, where appropriate, in the following areas of activity:
    1. training of managers and workers in the HCT sector;
    2. studies on employment flexibility in enterprises and its impact on job creation and quality of employment in the HCT sector;
    3. studies, research and statistics relating to enterprise and job creation in the HCT sector;
    4. national and subregional seminars on enterprise creation and job opportunities in the HCT sector.

Resolution concerning future ILO activities
in the hotel, catering and tourism sector (6)

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector,

Having met in Geneva from 12 to 16 May 1997,

Considering the rapid development of the hotel, catering and tourism (HCT) sector and the importance of accompanying economic development with social and other measures to guarantee harmonious progress,

Recalling the importance of the HCT sector in creating employment,

Considering that the Working Conditions (Hotels and Restaurants) Convention (No. 172), and Recommendation (No. 179), 1991, which employers continue to oppose, establish standards guaranteeing minimum conditions for workers,

Noting that the present situation of the ILO's Hotel and Tourism Branch (HOTOUR) seems to indicate that the International Labour Organization no longer attaches to this sector the political importance nor grants it the material resources that its economic weight worldwide would justify;

Adopts this sixteenth day of May 1997 the following resolution:

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector invites the Governing Body of the International Labour Office:

  1. to restore to the HCT sector its former importance within the Organization and to allocate to it sufficient material resources and a staff complement of five experienced professionals in the Programme and Budget of the International Labour Organization;
  2. to include on the agenda of the next scheduled tripartite meeting the following: "Identifying the needs of all forms of training in the HCT sector as a result of globalization ";
  3. to request the Director-General:
    1. to publicize, through the intermediary of member States and the workers' and employers' organizations concerned, the conclusions and resolutions adopted by this meeting and previous tripartite meetings;
    2. to request the governments of member States, when they are sending out information for future tripartite meetings and examining the follow up of conclusions and resolutions of this meeting, to consult the workers' and employers' organizations concerned;
    3. to encourage women's participation in the activities and meetings organized by the International Labour Organization;
    4. to continue to cooperate with intergovernmental, employers' and workers' organizations so as to address problems relating to the HCT sector;
    5. to conduct a study on the informal sector that includes a definition of this sector and covers its impact on the HCT sector.

Resolution concerning the sexual
exploitation of children and child labour (7)

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector,

Having met in Geneva from 12 to 16 May 1997,

Considering that child prostitution is increasing in some areas of the world,

Emphasizing that the sexual exploitation of children and child prostitution are caused, among other things, by poverty, increased inequalities and marginalization in economically developed urban societies, disintegration of family, social and welfare structures, as well as by the influence of organized crime,

Noting that the sexual exploitation of children is one of the causes of the spread of AIDS,

Taking into consideration the debates and conclusions of the First World Congress on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, held in Stockholm, Sweden, from 27 to 31 August 1996,

Considering that governments and the workers' and employers' organizations in the hotel, catering and tourism (HCT) sector have a responsibility in the fight against the sexual exploitation of children;

Adopts this sixteenth day of May 1997 the following resolution:

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector invites the Governing Body of the International Labour Office:

  1. to request the Director-General to continue and improve cooperation between the ILO and all other international organizations, particularly the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, active in preventing and combating child prostitution and child labour;
  2. to appeal to member States:
    1. to devote particular attention to this question and involve the workers' and employers' organizations in discussions and activities designed to eradicate child prostitution;
    2. to assist the industry to put an end to those businesses engaged in the sexual exploitation of children;
    3. to support the ILO's work against the sexual exploitation of children and to appeal to donor countries to increase resources for this purpose, particularly in the framework of the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC);
    4. to be represented at the International Labour Conference, 1998, where a new Convention on child labour will be the main topic on the agenda.

Resolution concerning the development of
sustainable tourism and resulting employment(8)

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector,

Having met in Geneva from 12 to 16 May 1997,

Considering the rapid growth of tourism worldwide,

Noting with concern that the potential damage caused to the natural environment by mass tourism poses a threat to the future of tourism and thus to employment prospects,

Recognizing the particular responsibility of the social partners in the hotel, catering and tourism (HCT) sector in respect of providing quality products and preserving the cultural and natural environment in which tourist establishments are located,

Recalling resolution No. 3 concerning the development of tourism and related industries adopted by the Tripartite Technical Meeting on Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Establishments (October 1965);

Adopts this sixteenth day of May 1997 the following resolution:

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector invites the Governing Body of the International Labour Office:

  1. to encourage member States and, if need be, the employers' and workers' organizations:
    1. to promote HCT sector development policies that are compatible with protection of the cultural and natural environment;
    2. to support tourism development initiatives focusing on nature (such as green tourism or eco-tourism);
    3. to encourage enterprises in the sector to develop practices in respect of environmental protection and the use of natural resources;
    4. to organize public awareness and educational activities for the employers and workers concerned with environmental protection in the HCT sector;
  1. to request the Director-General:
    1. to continue to include environmental issues in ILO activities, coordinating these activities and cooperating with other groups as appropriate, and to see to it that these are compatible with the requirements of sustainable development;
    2. to undertake surveys on the relations between the environment, employment and training in the HCT sector, and encourage the exchange of relevant information among ILO constituents;
    3. to provide developing countries with advice on general policy, consultation services and technical assistance in the field of the working environment, sustainable development and training on the subject of the environment.

Resolution concerning freedom of association
in the hotel, catering and tourism secto r (9)

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector,

Having met in Geneva from 12 to 16 May 1997,

Considering that certain ILO member States have not yet ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), and that many member States have not yet ratified the Workers' Representatives Convention, 1971 (No. 135),

Considering that violations of the rights of workers' representatives (as defined in Article 3 of Convention No. 135) still occur,

Recalling resolution No. 19 concerning the application of the provisions of Conventions Nos. 87 and 98 adopted by the Second Tripartite Technical Meeting for Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Establishments, resolution No. 25 concerning freedom of association adopted by the Third Tripartite Technical Meeting for Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Establishments, and resolution No. 5 concerning freedom of association and respect for trade union rights in the hotel, catering and tourism sector adopted at the First Session of the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Committee;

Adopts this sixteenth day of May 1997 the following resolution:

The Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector invites the Governing Body of the International Labour Office:

  1. to continue and strengthen the action taken by the ILO to promote the principle of freedom of association;
  2. to encourage all member States to ratify the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), and the Workers' Representative Convention, 1971 (No. 135);
  3. to request the Director-General to conduct a survey and publish a report on the application of the principles of freedom of association and the right to organize in the hotel, catering and tourism sector and on collective bargaining;
  4. to promote the effective implementation of the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, adopted by the Governing Body in November 1977.

Part 3

Other proceedings

Panel discussions

ILO activities in the hotel, catering
and tourism (HCT) sector
 

Moderator:   

Mr. Ishida, Secretary-General of the Meeting

Panellists:

Mr. Faymann, Expert

 

Mr. Picard, Chief of the General Labour Conditions Section, Application of Standards Branch, International Labour Standards Department, ILO, Geneva

 

Mr. Gust, Programme Manager, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), ILO, Geneva

HOTOUR's technical cooperation:
Experience and perspectives

Mr. Faymann described the rapid and continuous growth of the hotel, catering and tourism (HCT) sector from the standpoint of the ILO's 35-year experience in technical cooperation, with a coverage of 150 projects in 120 countries. The sector's growth was expected to maintain its pace as were the requests for technical cooperation emanating from member States as they became increasingly aware of the impact of tourism on national economies, including its effects on employment creation and foreign currency earnings. It was estimated that approximately 700 million international arrivals would be registered by the year 2000 and that they would require considerable investments and result in the creation of new enterprises. The countries concerned would have to establish adequate tourism development plans and programmes.

In the past, governments and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had called on the ILO for assistance to address shortages of qualified workers and training facilities. Technical advisory services, project formulation missions, research, documentation, meetings, seminars and workshops had been set up and provided in response to this demand. A large variety of projects were carried out including manpower surveys, hotel management training for small and medium-sized enterprises, and planning of tourism development, particularly of human resources development at all levels of qualification and in all fields of activity. Ninety per cent of those projects were financed by UNDP; their duration varied from two to five years or more and their budgets from US$5,000 to US$5 million. At present, many countries have operational training centres which often depended on government financing. Trainers tended to quit government services, however, because the private sector offered higher wages. The resulting shortage of trainers devalued the training dispensed and, as a consequence, the trainees who were recruited did not always meet the needs of the labour market. Closer cooperation between training centres and enterprises was needed.

Technical cooperation might register a considerable decline in the near future mainly because donor agencies including UNDP were giving a lower priority to the HCT sector. Furthermore, their financing policies were geared towards bilateral arrangements, cost-sharing with the receiving country, execution of projects by national governments and short-term services. Resources of training centres were also diminishing and enterprises increasingly preferred to train their own employees. Resources previously devoted to training might be allocated to creating jobs or to making full use of labour market mobility. It was important for employers' and workers' organizations and training centres to have consultations on these developments, consultations which should address, namely, certification and other links between training and employment. Future ILO activities were contingent on the requests of member States and on the availability of resources; these activities would focus inter alia on employment promotion, support to small and medium-sized enterprises, improved working conditions, the elimination of child labour and the promotion of women.

Labour standards: General procedures and
the Working Conditions (Hotels and Restaurants)
Convention, 1991 (No. 172)

Mr. Picard presented the ILO's "core" Conventions and highlighted the links between international labour standards and technical cooperation. He stated that, with few exceptions, all ILO standards could or should be applied to the HCT sector. Convention No. 172 should be considered as a supplement to general standards for a sector characterized by particular working conditions with regard, for example, to work schedules, leave or remuneration. Mr. Picard recalled that Convention No. 172 had been adopted in 1991 in the face of strong opposition and that, in accordance with its subsidiary character, the Convention's objective was to end the exclusion of HCT workers from minimum standards of general application adopted at the national level such as those relating to social security coverage. The Convention contained flexibility clauses and compliance with its provisions would be treated as effective if they were applied to the great majority of workers through collective agreements or other means.

Child labour in the hotel, catering and tourism sector

Mr. Gust stated that owing to the characteristics of the HCT sector, children were employed in a large variety of jobs, for example, as waiters, messengers, divers, beach boys, guides or dancers. Prostitution, however, was the form of child exploitation most frequently associated with the tourism industry although its full dimension remained unknown. The reasons for child exploitation were mainly economic and were linked to poverty and low income levels. Other factors resided in the social and family environment, cultural patterns and inadequate enforcement and inspection by competent authorities. The consequences for the children were overwhelming, ranging from diseases and psychological disturbances to alcohol and drug abuse and lack of formal education. The social cost was very high. The HCT sector should address this question since it had a responsibility in fighting against the exploitation of children. Mr. Gust suggested that professionals of the HCT sector should elaborate a code of conduct for the tourism industry, which would combat the sexual exploitation of children. Workers' and employers' organizations could introduce special clauses in their collective agreements forbidding recourse to child workers.

Discussion

ILO experience in technical cooperation in the HCT sector showed that as many as one-third of the trained persons left the employment for which they were trained. A representative of the Government of Morocco remarked that this represented a considerable financial cost which should be brought to the attention of the employers in seeking solutions.

The participants were astonished that only seven countries had ratified Convention No. 172. Mr. Picard drew attention to the key role governments ought to play in this regard and to the general worldwide trend of deregulation.

A Worker member reported that a well-known fast-food chain employed children amongst the students hired regularly on the basis of the company's declared policy. In this context, he highlighted the role that should be played by multinational enterprises in the struggle against child labour. Mr. Gust confirmed that ILO activities which aimed at eliminating child labour involved both social partners and governments.

Employment creation through nature-oriented
tourism: Small-scale tourism, rural tourism
and eco-tourism
 

Moderator:   

Mr. Binder, Employer Vice-Chairperson of the Meeting

Panellists:

Mr. Pollard, President, Hotel Association of Canada; International Hotel and Restaurant Association

 

Mr. Dedieu, Fédération des services, Confédération française démocratique du travail (CFDT), France

Mr. Pollard referred to the rapid growth of the tourism industry and presented statistics illustrating the predominance of North America and Europe as regions of origin of tourists. Eco-tourism had an important role to play, particularly where new markets were emerging since it gave new opportunities to most countries. The ageing of the population had had a positive impact on the number of persons who could travel and devote more time to leisure activities. For the younger age groups, active holidays were gradually being perceived as a necessity whereas in the past holidays merely represented compensation for hard work. Services had to be diversified and of high quality for the sector to be competitive in view of the great mobility resulting from demographic and socio-economic changes. Greater interest in nature and adventure-seeking as well as the experience gained by contacts with local communities provided additional opportunities in the field of eco-tourism. Care had to be taken, however, to preserve the environment since abusive exploitation of uninhabited land, national parks, animal reserves and other areas could have adverse effects on the natural resources and the lifestyle of the local population. The challenges of environment protection had become an integral part of commercial policies for hotel managers and other professionals of the tourism trade. Employment creation required the concerted effort of governments, employers and workers.

Mr. Dedieu, referring to rural tourism, pointed out that it was a more recent phenomenon based on socio-economic factors: the need for urban dwellers to relax in a natural environment; a tendency to travel more frequently, for shorter periods, at closer destinations; greater respect for the natural and cultural heritage in rural areas. These developments occurred at a time when agriculture was undergoing an in-depth restructuring process and alternative activities were needed for small farmers and the rural population in impoverished zones. The challenge would be to maintain the impetus needed for regional development. It was not easy at present to identify the type of jobs that could be created through rural tourism other than peripheral activities such as the sale of souvenirs. The development of rural tourism should not adversely affect existing tourism activities in a particular area. It was important that the regulations applicable to existing tourism enterprises, as for example taxation policies, should also be applicable to rural tourism. Mr. Dedieu mentioned, as an example of development cooperation between the social partners in rural tourism, a declaration of principles and guidelines for the preservation and creation of employment in tourism in rural areas, adopted by the Confederation of National Hotel and Restaurant Associations in the European Community (HOTREC) and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUT). Care had to be given to see that the jobs created through rural tourism offered decent remuneration and employment stability and that they were based on social agreements since they represented complementary activities for some farmers but, for other, meant a total conversion in their working life.

Discussion

Participants raised questions on the viability and future of rural tourism and eco-tourism. The panellists explained that the future of this type of tourism depended on an interest in nature, a common concern for the environment and the attractive price of services which supported development of these activities. The examples of Argentina, Australia, Austria, France or India demonstrated that constant development of eco-tourism and nature-oriented tourism was possible. Speakers advocated prevention and control measures in order to preserve the environment from mass tourism which posed problems also for autochthones, including the types of jobs being offered to them. The local population had to be integrated in the development of tourism to make it viable and the responsibility for this and for preserving the local culture rested with local authorities, tourism professionals and employers.

It was recommended that the ILO's technical cooperation activities related to training should take these concerns into account. Examples were given from ongoing or prospective ILO projects in a number of countries.

Recent developments in vocational training
for the hotel, catering and tourism sector
 

Moderator:   

Mr. Richardson, Worker Vice-Chairperson of the Meeting

Panellists:

Mr. Richards, Assistant General Secretary, Barbados Workers' Union

 

Mr. Veysset, Federal Vice-President, Fédération nationale de l'industrie hôtelière, France

Mr. Richards advocated a broader definition of vocational training that would include training on occupational safety and health issues as well as training of both workers and employers on labour relations and workers' rights issues, with particular emphasis on problem-solving. In the field of vocational training, Barbados and other Caribbean countries had obtained satisfactory results, the professional capacity of the labour force in the sector having been enhanced at all levels of qualification and responsibility. Training in safety and health questions and labour relations was provided by competent trade unions with the support of regional trade union organizations and the ILO.

Mr. Veysset reviewed recent developments in the field of vocational training and mentioned the new trends expected which would ensure the sustained universality of certain concepts. He called upon governments, workers' and employers' organizations as well as international organizations such as the ILO to take up the challenge. The new directions taken should give priority to the training of trainers in training institutions and in the enterprise. Self-study should be encouraged. In a context of widespread unemployment and unstable jobs, training should be provided out of solidarity for those whose needs were greatest. It was becoming more and more indispensable for vocational training to take into account the new technologies introduced to serve a more demanding and diversified clientele. The social partners should be involved in all steps of vocational training activities such as the elaboration of curricula, construction of infrastructure and policy-making. In this regard, the cooperation of the ILO and other competent international organizations was desirable.

Discussion

The participants agreed that vocational training was profitable to all parties and therefore required the participation of governments, employers and workers' organizations, but the question of the distribution of the costs remained open. A Worker member from Cyprus stated that employers were the primary beneficiaries of training activities and should therefore bear most of the costs. Mr. Richardson cited a case in the United States where the federal Government had subsidized a private company with public funds which conflicted with their original objectives; this practice distorted competition. Several participants provided information on the vocational training systems and the financing modes in their respective countries (Australia, Egypt, France, India, Morocco). In most cases, governments and employers cooperated and, at times, a tripartite structure had been set up.

In answer to a Worker member from Egypt who asked whether new technologies adversely affected employment and, if so, to what extent, Mr. Veysset stated that new technologies made routine tasks easier and allowed workers to upgrade their skills. Mr. Ishida concluded that training was a key element for development and mentioned in this regard the ILO International Training Centre in Turin.

Closing speeches

The Secretary-General thanked the participants for their wholehearted cooperation which had allowed the Meeting to come to a general agreement on conclusions and resolutions relating to core international labour standards as well as training and human resources development or sustainable enterprise development for more and better jobs. The challenge today was for all partners of the hotel, catering and tourism sector to achieve efficiency and equity together in a context of acute global competition reinforced by the introduction of new technologies. The speaker believed that this could be achieved, provided the social partners, governments and the international community at large shared a number of basic values. On behalf of the ILO, the Secretary-General pledged to maintain the Organization's commitment to work towards this goal with its constituents. He was pleased to have noted the participants' unanimous recommendation that ILO activities be enhanced and accompanied by an increase of financial and human resources.

Ms. Di Iorio Andrade (representative of the Government of Brazil; Chairperson of the Government group) expressed her group's satisfaction at the outcome of the Meeting's discussions and negotiations, as reflected in the conclusions and resolutions adopted. Developments at the international level had given rise to new problems and the search for solutions should involve all the parties concerned if these global transformations were to bring about an improvement in the quality of life of individuals. To this effect, Workers, Employers and Government representatives present at the Meeting had underlined the importance of access to information; their joint efforts and commitment would allow the sector to ensure its sustainable development. She congratulated the ILO on providing an international forum where a tripartite dialogue could take place on essential questions.

Mr. Binder (Employer Vice-Chairperson) noted the differences between the positions of Workers and Employers during the Meeting and believed that favourable results had been achieved thanks to the assistance of Government representatives. He was aware that the resolutions and conclusions reflected the successful outcome of genuine negotiations which by their nature could not satisfy entirely either party. He assured the Workers that employers were committed to ensuring the welfare of their employees although he recognized that workers' organizations might not be treated on an equal footing in all countries. The speaker invited the ILO to take greater care to obtain balanced views in the reports submitted to future meetings. In conclusion, he thanked the other Officers of the Meeting, the Officers of the groups and the secretariat for their contribution to the Meeting's achievements.

Mr. Richardson (Worker Vice-Chairperson) also noted the divergence of views between Employers and Workers on a number of issues, one of which was the quality and balance of the ILO report to the Meeting. Employers' perspectives on labour-management relations and the development of entrepreneurship could not be shared by workers who carried a heavy burden of work out of necessity, with a limited freedom of choice. The Workers' group emphasized the vital need for trade union rights. The speaker hoped that the resolutions and conclusions would be a valuable aid to the HCT sector in the participants' home countries. In this regard, he urged the representatives of Workers, Employers and Governments to make a special effort to disseminate the conclusions and resolutions and to support their implementation. He appealed to Government representatives and to the ILO to act as advocates of social justice rather than as productivity and efficiency experts. The speaker noted that governments should recognize the need for increased labour standards for HCT workers who needed meaningful jobs that would improve their living standards and make them consumers of goods and services rather than of government aid and social benefits. With reference to the terminology used in the texts adopted by the Meeting, his group believed that Workers' representatives should be referred to as trade unionists; all the Worker members present at the Meeting were without exception trade unionists and free trade unions were the only legitimate representatives of workers. He declared the Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector closed.

Evaluation questionnaire

A questionnaire seeking participants' views on various aspects of the Meeting was distributed before the end of the Meeting; the response rate was 40.4 per cent of participants. The Meeting itself, rated as regards six different criteria, obtained the highest scores for the choice of the agenda item, the points for discussion and the Meeting's benefits to the sector. Of the three panel discussions, the one concerning ILO activities obtained the highest score. The consolidated results are reproduced hereafter.

1. How do you rate the Meeting as regards the following?

 

Scoring

5

4

3

2

1

 

 

 

Excellent

Good

Satisfac-
tory

Poor

Unsatis-
factory

Average
score

 

The choice of agenda item (subject of meeting)

18

18

7

1

1

4.13

The points for discussion

9

22

12

1

0

3.89

The quality of the discussion

8

19

16

3

0

3.70

The Meeting's benefits to the sector

14

18

7

4

1

3.91

The conclusions

5

20

17

1

1

3.61

The resolutions

8

20

17

0

1

3.74

Panel discussion on ILO activities and the HCT sector

8

15

18

3

0

3.64

Panel discussion on employment creation through nature-oriented tourism

7

9

16

2

1

3.54

Panel discussion on recent developments in vocational training for the HCT sector

4

14

15

2

1

3.50

2. How do you rate the quality of the report in terms of the following?
 

 

 

Excellent

Good

Satisfac-
tory

Poor

Unsatis-
tory

Average
score

Quality of analysis

 

11

23

7

4

1

3.85

Objectivity

 

11

23

6

4

0

3.93

Comprehensiveness of coverage

 

12

15

17

0

0

3.89

Presentation and readability

 

16

16

12

2

0

4.00

Amount and relevance of information

 

6

21

18

1

0

3.70

3. How do you consider the time allotted for discussion?
 

 

Too much

Enough

Too little

Discussion of the report

1

30

15

Panel discussions

9

33

2

Groups

4

35

6

Working Party on Resolutions

0

28

12

Working Party on Conclusions

1

24

17

4. How do you rate the practical and administrative arrangements (secretariat, document services, translation, interpretation)?
 

 

Excellent

Good

Satisfac-
tory

Poor

Unsatis-
factory

Average
score

 

28

13

2

0

0

4.6

 

5. Respondents to questionnaire

 

Government

Employer

Worker

Observer

Unidentified

Total

 

10

17

17

1

1

46 (% of partici-
pants: 40.4)

6.Participants at Meeting

 

41

29

30

14

0

114

List of participants

Liste de participants

Lista de participantes

Members representing governments
Membres représentant les gouvernements
Miembros representantes de los gobiernos

Argentina Argentine

Sra. Angela Z. Ayala, Directora de Relaciones Nacionales, Secretaría de Turismo, Buenos Aires

Austria Autriche

Ms. Theodora Lechner, Bundesministerium für Arbeit, Gesundheit und Soziales Abteilung, Vienna

Adviser/Conseiller technique/Consejero técnico

Mr. Michael Renner, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Angelegenheiten, Vienna

Brazil Brésil Brasil

Sra. María Lucía Di Iorio Andrade, Secretaria-Adjunta de Relações do Trabalho, Ministerio do Trabalho, Rio de Janeiro

Canada Canadá

Ms. Sigrid Looye, Senior Industrial Consultant, Human Resources Partnerships Directorate, Human Resources Development Canada, Ottawa

China Chine

M. Zhang Wei, Conseiller, Mission permanente de Chine à Genève

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejeros técnicos

Ms. Liu Yirong, Deputy Director, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Labour, Beijing

Ms. Jin Weizhe, Deputy Division Chief, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Labour, Beijing

Mr. Li Mingfu, Third Secretary, Permanent Mission of China in Geneva

Egypt Egypte Egipto

Mr. Tarek Awad, Chairman of the Central Directorate for Internal Tourism, Egyptian Tourism Ministry, Cairo

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejeros técnicos

Ms. Islah Mohamed Amin, Labour Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Egypt in Geneva

Mr. Hassam Abdel Moneim, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Egypt in Geneva

France Francia

M. Michel Radelet, Chargé de mission auprès du Directeur du tourisme, ministère de l'Equipement, des Transports et du Tourisme, Paris

India Inde

Ms. Chuden Misra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, New Delhi

Italy Italie Italia

Mme Franca Polsinelli, Divisione II, Direzione Generale Rapporti Lavoro, Ministero del Lavoro, Rome

Adviser and substitute/Conseiller technique et suppléant/Consejera técnica y suplente

Mme Marie G. Esposito, Ministero del Lavoro e Previdenza Sociale, Rome

Japan Japon Japón

Mr. Kenji Tsunekawa, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva

Adviser/Conseiller technique/Consejero técnico

Mr. Morihiro Kawata, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva

Kenya

Ms. Mary N. Munuhe, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Nairobi

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejeros técnicos

Mr. Mwakai K. Sio, Principal, Kenya Utalii College, Nairobi

Mr. Ephraim Waweru Ngare, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Kenya in Geneva

Malaysia Malaisie Malasia

Mr. Azlan Yusof, Counsellor Labour Affairs, Permanent Mission of Malaysia in Geneva

Mauritius Maurice Mauricio

Mr. Goornarden P. Veerapen, Principal Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations, Port Louis

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejero técnicos

Ms. Usha Dwarka-Canabady, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Mauritius in Geneva

Mr. R. Munisamy, Attaché, Permanent Mission of Mauritius in Geneva

Morocco Maroc Marruecos

S.E. M. Nacer Benjelloun Touimi, Ambassadeur, Mission permanente du Maroc à Genève

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejeros técnicos

M. Abdelkader Allouch, Premier Secrétaire, Mission permanente du Maroc à Genève

M. Bouchaïb Abdallaoui, enseignant chercheur, Ministère du Tourisme, Institut supérieur international du tourisme, Tanger

M. Ahmed Bargachi, Directeur pour la Suisse, Office national marocain du tourisme, Zürich

Philippines Filipinas

Mr. Romeo Young, Regional Director, Department of Labor and Employment, Manila

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejeras técnicas

Ms. Ma. Yolanda Minoria, Supervising Labor and Employment Officer, Department of Labor and Employment, Manila

Ms. Ma. Elena Hernandez, Executive Assistant IV, Department of Labor and Employment, Manila

Spain Espagne España

Sr. Francisco Jiménez Fontes, Jefe Adjunto, Inspección Provincial de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales, Sevilla

Adviser/Conseiller technique/Consejero técnico

Sr. Antonio Flores Sentí, Director, Centro Nacional de Turismo y Hostelería, Marbella

Switzerland Suisse Suiza

M. Daniel Veuve, Chef de la section juridique, Division de la protection des travailleurs (A1), Office fédéral de l'industrie, des arts et métiers et du travail (OFIAMT), Berne

Thailand Thaïlande Tailandia

Mr. Viraphand Vacharathit, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Thailand in Geneva

Adviser/Conseiller technique/Consejera técnica

Ms. Priabthip Thenanonta, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Thailand in Geneva

Tunisia Tunisie Túnez

Mme Fatma Blagui, Chef de division "Emploi et perfectionnement", ministère du Tourisme et de l'Artisanat, Office national du tourisme, Tunis

Turkey Turquie Turquía

Mr. Midhat Seref, Counsellor for Labour and Social Affairs, Permanent Mission of Turkey in Geneva

United States Etats-Unis Estados Unidos

Ms. Barbara Dunkak, Assistant Director, Office of International Organizations, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor, Washington, DC

Adviser/Conseiller technique/Consejero técnico

Mr. Nicholas Stigliani, Labor Attaché, Permanent Mission of the United Sates in Geneva

Members representing the employers
Membres représentant les employeurs
Miembros representantes de los empleadores

Mr. Aydin Akbiyik, Secretary General, Employers' Association of Tourism Industry, Kabatas-Istanbul

Ms. Ronke Akindeinde-Ogunremi, Senior Operations Manager, Lagos

Mr. Bahgat Badawy, Director, Marketing, Promotion and Training, Egyptian Hotels Organization, Cairo

Mr. Hermann Binder, Vice-President Tourism, Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Innsbruck

Adviser/Conseiller technique/Consejero técnico

Mr. Thomas Wolf, Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Neusiedl/See

Sr. Polo Casanova, Presidente, Federación Nacional de Hoteles de Venezuela, Caracas

Mr. Marinus Cordesius, Vereniging Nederlandse Ondernemingel UNO-NCW, An Woerden, Netherlands

Sr. Francisco José Costa, Presidente, Asociación de Hoteles, Bares, Restaurantes, Confiterías y Afines, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejeros técnicos

Sr. Oscar Alberto Ghezzi, Federación Empresaria Hotelera República Argentina, Buenos Aires

Sr. Enrique Strega, Consultor Laboral, Federación Empresaria Hotelera Gastronómica, Buenos Aires

Ms. Margaret Drodskie, Manager, Infrastucture, South African Chamber of Business, Auckland Park

Mr. Daniel Edmonds, Australian Hotels Association, Hilton Hotels of Australia Pty. Ltd., Sydney

Sr. Pedro Garrido, Director Ejecutivo, Asociación Nacional de Hoteles y Restaurantes Inc., Santo Domingo

Ms. Margit Heilmann, Association of the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Industry of Denmark, Fredriksberg

Mr. Moazzam Ali Khan, Member, Managing Committee, Employers' Federation of Pakistan, Avari Towers Hotels, Karachi

Mr. Courtenay Leacock, Personnel and Training Manager, Hilton International Trinidad Ltd., PO Box 442, Port-of-Spain

Mr. Dubravko Orlovac, Director, Tourism, Hotel and Catering Industry, Croatian Employers' Association, Zagreb

M. Mohamed Ould Sid'Ahmed Ould Aïdoud, Directeur Agence Unitours, Confédération générale des employeurs, Nouakchott

Mr. J.S.S. Phillips, Technical Services Manager, British Hospitality Association, London

Mr. Anthony Pollard, President, Hotel Association of Canada, Ottawa

Mr. Gaudenzio Rossi, President, Hotel and Catering Association of Zambia, Lusaka

Mr. Rod Seiling, President, Ontario Hotel and Motel Association, Mississauga, Ontario

Mr. Rabin Raj Sharma, Personnel Officer, Hotel de L'Annapurna, Kathmandu

Mr. Raif Shwayri, Commission for Vocational Training, Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Al-Kafaât Foundation, Hadath

Mr. Dennis Tucker, Vice-President/General Manager, Sunesta Beach Resort, c/o Bermuda Employers' Council, Hamilton

Sr. Valentín Ugalde Drove, Secretario General, Federación Española de Hoteles, Madrid

M. Jean-François Veysset, Vice-président fédéral, Fédération nationale de l'industrie hôtelière, Paris

Mr. Dan Yarden, Chief Economist, Israel Hotel Association, Tel-Aviv

Sr. Rodrigo Zegers Reyes, Director, Consejo Superior del Turismo (CONSETUR), Santiago de Chile

Members representing the workers
Membres représentant les travailleurs
Miembros representantes de los trabajadores

Mr. Abdul Shukor Rahim, Secretary Penang Branch, National Union of Hotel, Bar and Restaurant Workers, Penang

Mr. Mohammed Hellal Al-Charkawi, President, General Trade Union for Hotel and Tourism Workers, Cairo

Adviser/Conseiller technique/Consejero técnico

Mr. Mohamed El-Ashiry, International Advisor, General Trade Union for Hotels and Tourism Workers, Cairo

Mr. Jeffrey Carr, Joint National Secretary, Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (ALHMU), Denistone

Mr. Daniel Edralin, Secretary-General, National Union of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant and Allied Industries (NUWHRAIN-APL-IUF), Malate, Manila

M. Victor Epiney, Union Helvetia, Lausanne, Suisse

Mr. Nikos Epistithiou, General Secretary, Cyprus Hotel Employees' Federation, Nicosia

Sr. Argentino Geneiro, Pro Secretario Gremial, Unión Trabajadores Gastronómicos, Buenos Aires

Mr. Aage Jensen, Restauration og Bryggeriarbejder Forbund (RBF), Copenhagen

Mr. Setena Khaile, National President, South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers' Union (SACCAWU), Johannesburg

Ms. Birgitta Kihlberg, Vice-President, Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union (HRF), Stockholm

Mr. Alfred Knoll, Sektionssekretär-Stellverteter, Gewerkschaft Hotel, Gastgewerbe, Persönlicher Dienst (HGPD), Vienna

M. Loukou Konan, Secrétaire général, Fédération nationale des syndicats des industries alimentaires de l'agriculture et de l'hôtellerie, Abidjan

Mr. Pál Kovács, Vice-President, V.I.SZ. Vendèglátóipari Szakszeruezet, Budapest

Mme Martine Laguerre, membre de la Commission administrative, Fédération générale des travailleurs de l'alimentation, Aucamville, France

Adviser/Conseiller technique/Consejero técnico

M. Thierry Dedieu, Fédération des services CFDT, Paris

Mr. Laximan Malwanker, President, Federation of All Goa Five Star Hotels Employees' Union, Goa, India

Sr. Héctor F. Martínez Mora, Secretario General, Sindicato Unico de Trabajadores y Empleados de Hoteles, Moteles, Restaurantes, Bares, Cantinas, Centros Nocturnos y Recreativos de la Música y Discotecas, Ciudad de México

Mr. Duncan Thuita Mugo, Secretary-General, Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA), Nairobi

Mr. Erskine LeVere Richards, Assistant General Secretary, Barbados Workers' Union (BWU), St. Michael

Mr. Ronald Richardson, Executive Vice-President, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE), Washington, DC

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejeros técnicos

Mr. John E. Cullerton, Director of International Affairs, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union, Chicago

Mr. James Stamos, Canadian Director and Vice-President, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union, Montreal

Ms. Laurell Ritchie, National Representative, CAW-Canada, Toronto

Sr. Manuel Romero Peña, Presidente, Federación de Trabajadores Hoteleros y Similares de Venezuela, Caracas

Mr. Hiroshi Sawada, President, All Japan Federation of Hotel Workers' Unions (Hotel Roren), Tokyo

Advisers/Conseillers techniques/Consejeros técnicos

Mr. Yasuo Nakanishi, President, Japan Federation of Travel and Air Cargo Agency Workers' Union, Tokyo

Mr. Hiomi Tatsumi, President, National Council of Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union, Osaka

Mr. Klaus Schroeter, Referatsleiter Hotelgewerbe und Tourismus, Gewerkschaft Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG), Hamburg, Germany

Mr. Buddhi B. Thapa, Secretary, Nepal Tourism and Hotel Workers' Union, Hotel Soaltee Holiday Inn, Kathmandu

Others
Autres
Otros

Representative of a member State present at the sittings
Représentant d'un Etat Membre présent aux séances
Representante de un Estado Miembro presente en las sesiones

Nigeria Nigéria

Mr. Abdullah S. Ahmad, Permanent Mission of Nigeria in Geneva

Representatives of United Nations, specialized agencies
and other official international organizations

Représentants des Nations Unies, des institutions spécialisées
et d'autres organisations internationales officielles

Representantes de las Naciones Unidas, de los organismos especializados
 y de otras organizaciones internacionales oficiales

Arab Labour Organization
Organisation arabe du travail
Organización Arabe del Trabajo

M. Adnan El-Telawi, Chef de la Délégation permanente, Genève

European Commission
Commission européenne
Comisión Europea

M. Manuel Ruiz-Sanz, Administrateur principal, Bruxelles

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques
Organización de Cooperación y Desarrollo Económicos

M. Alain Dupeyras, Administrateur, Paris

Representatives of non-governmental international organizations
Représentants d'organisations internationales non gouvernementales
Representantes de organizaciones internacionales no gubernamentales

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
Confédération internationale des syndicats libres
Confederación Internacional de Organizaciones Sindicales Libres

Mr. Guy Ryder, Director, Geneva
Mr. Dan Cunniah, Deputy Director, Geneva

International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees 
Fédération internationale des employés, techniciens et cadres
Federación Internacional de Empleados, Técnicos y Profesionales

Mme Catherine Sanchez, Secrétaire de la section professionnelle tourisme, Genève

Ms. Karin Retvig, President, Union of Commercial and Clerical Employees, Copenhagen

International Hotel and Restaurant Association

Mr. Anthony P. Pollard, President, Hotel Association of Canada, Ottawa

International Organization of Employers
Organisation internationale des employeurs
Organización Internacional de Empleadores

Mr. Jean Dejardin, Deputy Executive Secretary, Geneva
Mr. George James, Executive Secretary, Geneva

International Transport Workers' Federation
Fédération internationale des ouvriers du transport
Federación Internacional de los Trabajadores del Transporte

Mr. Stuart Howard, Secretary, Tourism Services Section, London

International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant,
Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations

Union internationale des travailleurs de l'alimentation, de l'agriculture,
de l'hôtellerie-restauration, du tabac et des branches connexes

Unión Internacional de Trabajadores de la Alimentación, Agrícolas,
Hoteles, Restaurantes, Tabaco y Afines

Mr. Ron Oswald, General Secretary, Geneva
Mr. Patrick Dalban-Moreynas, Geneva

World Federation of Agriculture and Food Workers
Fédération mondiale des travailleurs de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation
Federación Mundial de Trabajadores de la Agricultura y la Alimentación

Sr. José Gómez Cerda, Secretario General, Bruselas

World Federation of Trade Unions
Fédération syndicale mondiale
Federación Sindical Mundial

M. Albert Potapov, Représentant permanent, Genève

1.  ILO, Tripartite Meeting on the Effects of New Technologies on Employment and Working Conditions in the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Sector, Geneva, 1997: New technologies and working conditions in the hotel, catering and tourism sector, 86 pp.

2.  Adopted unanimously.

3.  Adopted unanimously.

4.  Whenever the term "workers' representatives" appears, it is as defined in the Workers' Representatives Convention, 1971 (No. 135).

5.  Adopted unanimously.

6.  Adopted unanimously.

7.  Adopted unanimously.

8.  Adopted unanimously.

9.  Adopted unanimously.


Updated by VC. Approved by NdW. Last update: 26 January 2000.

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