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GB.274/STM/1
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Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues |
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FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Composition and purpose of the sectoral
meetings to be held in 2000-01
Contents
Criteria for the selection of member States
B. Safety and health in the non-ferrous metals industries
C. The construction industry in the twenty-first century: Its image, employment prospects and skill requirements
D. Lifelong learning in the twenty-first century: The changing roles of educational personnel
E. The employment impact of mergers and acquisitions in the banking and financial services sector
F. Social and labour dimensions of the forestry and wood industries on the move
I. Labour practices in the footwear, leather, textiles and clothing industries
J. The social and labour impact of globalization in the manufacture of transport equipment
K. 29th Session of the Joint Maritime Commission (JMC)
L. The impact of decentralization and privatization on municipal services
1. At its meeting in November 1998, the Committee selected the 12 sectors and topics to comprise the programme of sectoral meetings for 2000-01. The sectors and topics selected by the Committee are reflected in the Programme and Budget proposals for 2000-01.(1) In accordance with the evaluation of the Sectoral Activities Programme in 1995, the Director-General has drawn up proposals with regard to the size, composition, type of delegation and output of each meeting.
2. Provision has been made in the Programme and Budget proposals for 2000-01 for the Office to bear the costs of a maximum of 480 participants to the 12 sectoral meetings. This is in line with the practice of maintaining the average size of meetings over a biennium at 20 participants from each group. The Office will also meet the expenses of up to 15 experts to participate in panel discussions, and of one Governing Body representative to preside over each meeting, except for the Joint Maritime Commission, where provision for three Governing Body representatives is made, in accordance with the JMC's Standing Orders.
3. The sizes proposed below for the 12 meetings and the composition of the meetings that are not fully tripartite correspond to this maximum figure of 480. Any increase in the number of delegations to one or more meetings will therefore have to be matched by a corresponding decrease for other meetings.
Criteria for the selection of member States
4. In proposing the member States to be invited to appoint delegates to the meetings, the Office has taken into account the following criteria, which are listed in paragraph 7 of the General characteristics of sectoral meetings adopted by the Governing Body at its 264th Session (November 1995):
- the importance of the country concerned in the sector;
- the importance of the sector for the country concerned;
- maintenance of a balance between continuity and rotation in participation in meetings for the sector;
- appropriate geographical distribution;
- any other relevant factors.
5. As it did in the previous biennium, the Office despatched a letter on 26 November 1998 to all member States to inform them of the titles of the 12 meetings approved by the Governing Body and to invite them to list, in order of priority, the meetings to which they would be interested in being invited, although the final selection would be made by the Governing Body. A deadline for answers was set at 20 January 1999. By 8 February the Office had received answers from 76 member States (a response rate of 44 per cent). Accordingly, the wishes and preferences expressed by member States and received by 8 February have to the greatest extent possible also been taken into account in the proposals made below. In this proposal, 85 countries (49 per cent of all member States) are proposed to be invited to at least one of the eleven meetings other than the JMC, which is composed of representatives of shipowners and seafarers. A further 16 countries are included in the lists of reserve countries.
6. The duration proposed by the Office for each of the meetings, except for the Meeting of Experts on Safety and Health in Non-Ferrous Metals, is five calendar days (Monday-Friday). In accordance with the usual practice, it is proposed that the meeting of experts last for eight calendar days.
7. The Committee is called on to make a recommendation concerning the method of selection of the participants to the 11 meetings other than the Joint Maritime Commission. Two possibilities may be envisaged:
- that the countries selected be represented by national delegations (tripartite or bipartite as appropriate);
- that the Government representatives be appointed by the governments of the countries selected and the Employers' and Workers' representatives be appointed on the basis of nominations made by the respective groups of the Governing Body.
8. In November 1995, the Governing Body agreed(2) that larger meetings would normally have national delegations, while smaller meetings would normally comprise delegates nominated by governments and by the respective groups. The size of the proposed meetings ranges from eight to 26 per group. All meetings in the 1998-99 biennium had delegates nominated by governments and by the respective groups.
9. The Committee is called upon to make recommendations to the Governing Body for each of the meetings listed below regarding:
- the duration of the meeting;
- the type of meeting (bipartite or tripartite) and the number of delegations;
- the method of selection of delegates;
- the countries to be invited;
- the countries to be included in the reserve list;
- the purpose of the meeting.
10. The agricultural sector will remain the largest employer of the labour force and a crucial determinant of economic development in all developing countries for the foreseeable future. For effective fulfilment of these roles agricultural productivity will have to increase through at least three important dimensions of modernization: the use of better chemical and mechanical inputs; a move towards non-traditional exports; and a transition towards more secure land tenure. The ultimate test of sustainability in agricultural development will be the outcomes in terms of the employment and living conditions of agricultural workers.
11. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite with 78 participants, and that the following 26 countries be invited to participate: Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Honduras, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Viet Nam.
12. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Algeria, Burundi, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Jordan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lithuania, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Spain, Syrian Arab Republic, Zambia.
13. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on the agricultural sector in the twenty-first century: its contribution to employment, incomes and prospects for productivity gains, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers' organizations at the national level and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
B. Safety and health in the non-ferrous metals industries
14. As indicated in the proposal to hold this meeting,(3) the diverse and rapidly expanding non-ferrous metals sector has its own occupational safety and health issues. The production and recycling of increasingly sophisticated non-ferrous materials involves the use of a range of chemical and other processes at different stages of the production cycle. The development and adoption of a code of practice for this sector would provide specific guidance throughout the industry, and it would be a timely and appropriate addition to the ILO's global programme on occupational safety and health.
15. The Director-General proposes that 24 experts in safety and health in non-ferrous metals production be invited to participate in this meeting, which would last eight calendar days. Experience has shown that the size and time allotted are appropriate for examining and approving a draft code of practice. Since the Standing Orders for sectoral meetings do not apply to meetings of experts, this meeting would be held in accordance with existing procedures for similar types of meeting held previously under the Sectoral Activities Programme and meetings organized by other departments. In accordance with the usual practice for meetings of experts, the Office would cover the travel and subsistence costs of all experts nominated to participate.
16. The Director-General also proposes that the governments of the following countries be invited to nominate experts who would participate in the meeting in their personal capacity: China, France, Japan, Norway, Peru, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia. It is also proposed that the meeting be attended by eight experts nominated after consultations with the Employers' group, and eight after consultations with the Workers' group of the Governing Body.
17. It is further proposed that, should any of the governments in paragraph 16 decline to nominate an expert, one of the following governments would be invited to do so: Chile, Finland, Ghana, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Sweden, Ukraine.
18. The Committee will recall that the Office proposed that a draft code of practice would be prepared and submitted to the meeting for consideration, review and adoption. The Committee may therefore wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to consider and review a draft and adopt a code of practice on safety and health in the non-ferrous metals industries.
19. Further globalization in the market for construction services could affect employment, working arrangements and working conditions. Continued mechanization, greater and more widespread standardization and increasing productivity will affect skill requirements. Multi-skilling is likely to increase at the expense of semi-skilled and unskilled labour. Means to meet specialized skill requirements will have to be developed and implemented.
20. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite with 69 participants, and that the following 23 countries be invited to participate: Austria, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States.
21. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Jordan, Mauritania, Namibia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Thailand, Togo.
22. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on the construction industry in the twenty-first century: its image, employment prospects and training requirements, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers' organizations at the national level and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
D. Lifelong learning in the twenty-first century:
The changing roles of educational personnel
23. As indicated in the proposal to hold this meeting,(4) accelerating technological, social and economic changes increasingly place a premium on education and training to respond with universally accessible and high-quality services; in particular, to assume a lifelong character, accessible to all through more flexible financing and structures; to be up-to-date in content and pedagogical approaches; and to be available to all ages. The relationship between general education provided in schools and institutional or enterprise-based training for employment is an important issue internationally and for the ILO. The principal links with the concept and organization of lifelong learning systems are: actual or anticipated trends in ways that personnel -- teachers, administrators and support staff -- are trained, recruited, paid and carry out their work; and the changing roles of employers and workers in fostering workplace learning as part of a broad investment in human capital formation. Within this framework, there are important cross-cutting issues to be examined, such as gender issues and the role of social dialogue in decision-making in education and training.
24. The Director-General proposes that this be a joint meeting, with significant private sector employer participation, and composed of 54 participants: 20 Government representatives, seven Employers' representatives from the private sector and 27 Workers' representatives. It is proposed that the following 20 countries be invited to participate in the meeting: Algeria, Burundi, Chile, Czech Republic, Dominica, Germany, Greece, India, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Namibia, Norway, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela.
25. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Albania, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Comoros, Croatia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Finland, France, Hungary, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Mauritius, Philippines, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Togo, United Arab Emirates.
26. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on policies and practices which concern lifelong learning, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers' organizations and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
E. The employment impact of mergers and acquisitions
in the banking and financial services sector
27. Worldwide market liberalization, structural reforms, increased competition and technological advances are pushing the financial industry towards radical consolidation at both the national and international levels. Savings from economies of scale, marketing power and customer-based considerations, the ability to mobilize and deploy substantial resources globally, as well as the need to expand the range of services and products, are at the heart of the recent rise in mergers and acquisitions in the sector. Despite the many positive benefits, mergers and acquisitions are also frequently accompanied by substantial job losses and changed working conditions as the combined company seeks to rationalize operations. The impact of financial industry consolidation on local, national and international labour markets and on employment levels, training and retraining, working hours and other working conditions, compensation practices, levels of remuneration and labour-management relations are among the main developments to be analysed in this context.
28. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite with 60 participants and that the following 20 countries be invited to participate: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Ghana, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Mauritania, Mauritius, Nigeria, Panama, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States, Venezuela.
29. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Chile, China, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Portugal, Singapore, Tunisia.
30. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on the impact of mergers and acquisitions in the banking and financial services sector, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers' organizations at the national level and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
F. Social and labour dimensions of the forestry and
wood industries on the move
31. The forestry, wood, pulp and paper industries are increasingly confronted with a situation already familiar to other sectors -- a single world market for products. Enterprises are reacting to intensifying competition in a number of ways, including mergers and acquisitions, and with a tendency in recent years to geographical relocation. Structural change, including through concentration, is drastically changing the volume, pattern and quality of employment as well as labour-management relations. Forest industries are also exposed to considerable environmental pressure and various initiatives to deal with them take social and labour dimensions into account.
32. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite with 60 participants, and that the following 20 countries be invited to participate: Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Estonia, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Romania, Russian Federation, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States.
33. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Cambodia, Cameroon, France, Gabon, Honduras, Republic of Korea, Poland, Portugal, Suriname, Thailand.
34. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on trends in structural adjustment, globalization and relocation in the forestry and wood industries, as well as on environmental aspects, and to discuss their social and labour consequences, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers' organizations at the national level and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
35. Hotel, catering and tourism activities are developing in a context of greater global competition. They are increasingly based on new technologies that allow for streamlined management methods and require more and new types of skills. Employment in this labour-intensive sector is growing rapidly and can contribute to the economic integration of people who might otherwise risk exclusion from the workforce.
36. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite with 75 participants, and that the following 25 countries be invited to participate: Austria, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Mauritius, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United States.
37. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Argentina, Chile, Croatia, Hungary, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Philippines, United Republic of Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe.
38. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on policies and methods of human resource development, employment creation and globalization in the hotel, catering and tourism sector, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers' organizations at the national level, and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
39. New information technologies are radically changing the media and entertainment industries, resulting in an enormous growth and increasing variety in the uses made of recorded productions. Technological developments and multimedia convergence in all aspects of publishing and in sound and audio-visual performances, together with the deregulation of telecommunications have had variable and complex consequences for employment in the sector. Among the issues to be analysed are the impact of information technologies on the level and structure of employment, skills and training requirements, social protection schemes and social dialogue in the media and entertainment industries.
40. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite with 69 participants, and that the following 23 countries be invited to participate: Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Nigeria, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
41. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Finland, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritania, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Saint Lucia, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Uruguay.
42. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on the extent and implications of developments in information technologies and their effects on employment and working conditions and on labour-management relations in the media and entertainment industries, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers' organizations at the national level, and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
I. Labour practices in the footwear, leather, textiles and clothing industries
43. The recent evolution of labour practices in the light of technological change, the requirements for greater flexibility, the need to improve productivity and efficiency in a highly international competitive environment, and the associated changes in training requirements at all levels are having an important impact on work in the footwear, leather, textiles and clothing industries. Changes in labour-management relations, the evolution of collective bargaining practices, the respect of basic human rights, the implementation of safety and health regulations, and the evolution of consultation, participation and communications in the context of globalization are all affecting where and how work is undertaken and the relationship between labour practices and the profitability of enterprises in this sector.
44. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite with 60 participants, and that the following 20 countries be invited to participate: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
45. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.
46. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on labour practices in the footwear, leather, textiles and clothing industries, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers' organizations at the national level, and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
J. The social and labour impact of globalization in the manufacture of transport equipment
47. The recent wave of mergers and acquisitions in the transport equipment manufacturing sector has continued at an unprecedented pace over the past few months. While car sales are up in many countries, overproduction and the consequent glut of automobiles on the world market have increased competition and the need for rationalization. In addition to the search for new partners and strategic alliances, companies are increasingly adopting new working methods such as lean production in order to increase productivity and reduce costs. Aircraft manufacturers have also undergone similar consolidation, and some automobile manufacturers have links with both the aerospace industry and the manufacture of railway equipment.
48. The Director-General proposes that this meeting be tripartite, with 54 participants, and that the following 18 countries be invited to participate: Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Romania, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United States.
49. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Finland, Honduras, Lebanon, Panama, Portugal, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, United Kingdom, Venezuela.
50. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on the social and labour impact of globalization in the transport equipment manufacturing industries, including on the implications for employment, working conditions and labour-management relations, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments and by employers' and workers' organizations at the national level, and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
K. 29th Session of the Joint Maritime Commission (JMC)
51. When the Committee decided to include the JMC in the programme of sectoral meetings to be held during the biennium 2000-01, it also agreed that the its agenda should be as proposed by the Seafarers' and Shipowners' groups of the JMC, as follows:
- Review of relevant ILO maritime instruments.
- Updating of the ILO's minimum basic wage of able seamen.
- The impact on seafarers' living and working conditions of changes in the structure of the shipping industry.
- Joint IMO/ILO ad hoc expert working group on liability and compensation regarding claims for death, personal injury and abandonment of seafarers.
52. The JMC has its own Standing Orders, and those for sectoral meetings are not applicable. The Commission is composed of two members appointed by the Governing Body, representing respectively the Employers' and Workers' groups of the Governing Body, 20 Shipowners' and 20 Seafarers' representatives, and is chaired by the Chairperson of the Governing Body. In accordance with article 1 of its Standing Orders, the members were nominated in 1996 by the 84th (Maritime) Session of the International Labour Conference.
53. The JMC has in the past adopted a report on its discussions as well as resolutions. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be: to exchange views on the four agenda items, using reports prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
L. The impact of decentralization and privatization on municipal services
54. In the context of public service reforms, decentralization is regarded as an important means to achieve improved efficiency and quality of services. Decentralization affects the terms of employment and working conditions of municipal workers as well as labour-management relations. One of the challenges in this context is the financing of such services, and municipalities often opt for a variety of approaches to privatizing services provided in the public interest in sectors such as education, health services and utilities. These developments also have an impact on the public service.
55. The Director-General proposes that this be a joint meeting, with significant private sector employer participation, and composed of 50 participants: 18 Government representatives, seven Employers' representatives from the private sector and 25 Workers' representatives. It is proposed to invite the following 18 countries: Benin, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russian Federation, Togo, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.
56. It is further proposed to place the following countries on the reserve list: Albania, Algeria, Cape Verde, Czech Republic, Denmark, Honduras, India, Jordan, Norway, Panama, Poland, Romania, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine, United States.
57. The Committee may wish to recommend that the purpose of the meeting be to exchange views on the impact of decentralization and privatization on municipal services, using a report prepared by the Office as the basis for its discussions; to adopt conclusions that include proposals for action by governments, employers' and workers' organizations at the national level and by the ILO; to adopt resolutions; and to adopt a report on its discussion.
58. The Committee may wish to make recommendations to the Governing Body in respect of the 12 meetings included in the programme of sectoral meetings for 2000-01, concerning:
(a) the duration of the meetings as proposed in paragraph 6;
(b) the type of meeting and the number of delegations, as proposed in paragraphs 11, 15, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48 and 55;
(c) the method of selection of the participants, according to one of the alternatives proposed in paragraph 7;
(d) the countries to be invited to be represented, as proposed in paragraphs 11, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48 and 55;
(e) the countries to be included on the reserve list, as proposed in paragraphs 12, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37, 41, 45, 49 and 56; and
(f) the purpose of the meetings, as proposed in paragraphs 13, 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 53 and 57.
Geneva, 18 February 1999.
Point for decision: Paragraph 58.
2. General characteristics of sectoral meetings, para. 6.
3. GB.273/STM/1, p. 4.
4. GB.273/STM/1, pp. 6-7.