April 2005

1. Publication

   Checking your pay online Feeling underpaid? Check "Wage Indicator"!

   01 April 2005

   If one thing is certain, few people feel overpaid for their work. But many of us worry that we may be earning less than the next person. Usually, this is privileged information. Now, a new on-line service, "Wage Indicator on-line" is changing that. Journalist Andrew Bibby explains how www.wageindicator.org offers new transparency to the age-old question of who earns what.

2. Publication

   Global Employment Trends 2004-2005 Global Report: More jobs, but not enough growth

   01 April 2005

   Despite robust economic growth, the global employment situation improved only slightly in 2004, with employment increasing and unemployment down marginally. The ILO's annual Global Employment Trends says employment creation is still a major challenge for policy makers.

3. Publication

   Promoting ILO Conventions and Recommendations The cooperatives experience

   01 April 2005

   The adoption of new ILO Conventions and Recommendations by the annual International Labour Conference typically follows many months and years of preparatory work and debate. What happens then, however, is not the end of a process but rather the beginning. This background brief explains how the practical work of promoting ILO Conventions and Recommendations begins as a way of ensuring that the words are translated into action.

4. Publication

   AROUND THE CONTINENTS

   01 April 2005

   A regular review of the International Labour Organization and ILO-related activities and events taking place around the world.

5. Publication

   A tailor-made future for prosperity: Cambodia

   01 April 2005

   In the past few years, a great deal of progress has been made in improving the working conditions of textile factory workers in Cambodia. An ILO monitoring process has helped employers and workers create not only a safer working environment, but better working conditions. This article shows how this ILO project has lead to increases in productivity while boosting the credibility of the factories with international buyers.

6. Publication

   7th European Regional Meeting In Europe and Central Asia, a newly expanded social agenda

   01 April 2005

   The European Region of the ILO is vast, spanning Europe and Central Asia from the Atlantic to the Pacific, as well as a diversity of cultures and societies. Despite this, the 50 member States of the European Region found common ground for "a common future of democracy, economic prosperity and social justice" at the 7th ILO European Regional Meeting held in Budapest from 14 to 18 February.

March 2005

1. News

   ILO-EU Conference calls for the strengthening of labour inspection services

   31 March 2005

   The ILO-EU Conference on labour inspection 9-11 March 2005 in Luxembourg, noted that globalization requires more creative holistic approaches and presses for economic and social reforms, which can only be successful with strong, competent and independent labour inspectorates.

2. News

   New seafarers ID cards closer to reality, says ILO Progress in achieving global interoperability in seafarers' identification

   24 March 2005

   The International Labour Organization (ILO) announces an important step forward in ensuring the proper functioning of the biometric element of its new "biometric" identity verification system for seafarers. The tests carried out in this regard could also contribute to advances in achieving biometric interoperability in other areas.

3. Article

   7th European Regional Meeting To survive means to succeed

   15 March 2005

   After the democratic changes in October 2000, the Serbian economy opened up to the world. As a consequence, many local companies were unable to compete with foreign companies and had to close down. In 2001, the ILO started a local economic development project in South West Serbia followed by a new, more comprehensive one in 2004 covering South East Serbia. Such local economic development initiatives in Europe and Central Asia were also discussed at the recent European Regional Meeting of the ILO in Budapest, on 14-18 February. Serbian journalist Andreja Tomasevic reports.

February 2005

1. Video

   Managing transitions: Pensions - 7th ILO European Regional Meeting in Budapest, Hungary

   18 February 2005