Working Group 1 : Labour Dimensions of the Summit of the Americas Process

1. Working Group 1 :Labour Dimensions of the Summit of the Americas Process Presentation by the Director of the Unit for Social Development and Education, Sofialeticia MoralesIACML Working Group 1 MeetingWashington D.C. - May 12, 2004

2. Labour and employment in the Summit of the Americas Process • I Summit of the Americas Miami, 1994 • II Summit of the Americas Santiago, 1998 Summit of the Americas Process • III Summit of the Americas Quebec, 2001 • Special Summit of the Americas - Monterrey, 2004

3. Labour and employment in the Summit of the Americas Process Special Summit of the Americas • II Summit of the Americas • Modernization of the State in Labor Matters - to provide high quality assistance for workers and employers. • Basic Rights of Workers - promote core labor standards recognized by ILO, as a fundamental component of productive workplaces. • FTAA - to consider views on trade from the labor sector. • III Summit of the Americas • “We instruct the IACML to continue their consideration of issues related to globalization which affect employment and labor.” • Plan of Action Chapter on “Labor and Employment”, among other issues: • Improved collaboration on the labor dimensions of the Summit of the Americas among Ministries and International organizations • Strengthen the capacity of the Min.of Labor to develop and implement effective labor policies. I Summit of the Americas “We will convene high-level meetings to address trade.., labor” “We acknowledge our common interest in creating employment opportunities” 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

4. Promotion of SME to support economic growth and employment creation • Sharing best practices on SME development • Facilitate incorporation into the formal sector • Train human resources, facilitate access to credit and business development services • Triple IDB lending for SMEs by 2007 The Special Summit of the Americas Monterrey, Mexico, January 2004 It had 3 linked and interrelated objectives: • Qualitative transformation of public administration through modernization - Feasibility Study Economic Growth with Equity to Reduce Poverty • FTAA will most effectively foster economic growth, the reduction of poverty, development and integration through trade liberalization - WG1 and Declaration of Salvador Social Development Democratic governance

5. The Special Summit of the Americas Monterrey, Mexico, January 2004 It had 3 linked and interrelated objectives: • Need for integrated economic and social policies. - Interrelations between Min.Labour, Health, Edu Economic Growth with Equity to Reduce Poverty • Strengthen social security systems, unemployment insurance systems and subsistence income programs. - Plan of Action of Salvador Social Development • Commitment to ILO principles of decent work -XIII IACML • Respect for workers’ rights and dignity is an essential element to achieving poverty reduction Democratic governance • Recognize and support work of IACML

6. The Special Summit of the Americas Monterrey, Mexico, January 2004 It had 3 linked and interrelated objectives: Economic Growth with Equity to Reduce Poverty • Recognize the role of civil society and its contribution to sound public administration -COSATE and CEATAL Social Development • Reaffirm the importance of partnerships between government, NGOs, international organizations and civil society Democratic governance • Encourage consolidation and professionalization of the civil service -Feasibility Study

7. Update the Inter-American Program to Combat Poverty and Discrimination (1997) • Present a Hemispheric Project to support small and medium entreprises to FEMCIDI of the OAS. • Hold yearly joint seminars - ECLAC, IDB and OAS- on poverty eradication policies. Four priority lines of action • Investing to improve the quality of human resources. • Improving income security: strengthening social protection networks and generating employment opportunities. • Strengthening institutions responsible for social policies • Transforming social relations - strategies that increase social participation First meeting of the Inter-American Committee on Social Development, Santiago, April 2004

8. In June, the OAS General Assembly may consider a draft resolution that contemplates: • Supporting States, especially small economies, in development of National and/or Regional Trade Capacity Strategies • Technical assistance that supports domestic efforts to mainstream trade into national plans for economic development and strategies for poverty reduction. • [[Drafting of negotiations on compensatory funds to address asymmetries and possible disparities in levels of national development and productivity]] • [[Additional analysis of the potential impacts of the FTAA, including those on existing treaty commitments in human rights, the environment, and labour]] Pending Resolution & Debate on Trade and Integration in the Americas As this draft resolution implies there are still important discussions occurring on the coming FTAA and as such theLabour Ministers may be able to provide vital input domestically and through the IACML.

9. Towards the Fourth Summit of the Americas Argentina, 2005 • Reinforce the input of the IACML to the Summit of the Americas process. • Convergence of themes from various political and technical forums (CIDES, CIE, IACML..) • Strengthen the bonds between the IACML and other sectorial meetings (e.g. Miami - Ministers of Trade meeting) • Influence the Declaration and Plan of Action of the Fourth Summit to be knowledgeable of the IACML priorities and actions. • Balancing labour and trade priorities. • Consider the creation of the Inter-American Committee on Labour