Development of Trade Union Policies and Strategies for OSH/E and HIV/AIDS

1. Development of Trade Union Policies and Strategies forOSH/E and HIV/AIDS Hiro Ishibashi Specialist on Worker’s Activities ILO SRO Manila ACTRAV-Turin Course A3-00605July 19, 2006: ITCILO

2. Outline • Quick overview of the ILO/ACTRAV in Asia and the Pacific Region; • International and Regional Commitments to Decent Work:Opportunity for Trade Unions • Decent Work Country Program and Priority Outcomes • Developing your own strategy

3. 1. Quick Overview of the ILO/ACTRAV in Asia and the Pacific Region

4. What does the ILO do? Adopts and supervises international labour standards Provides technical assistance(to help states adopt/implement ILSs) Promote development of independent employers’ and workers’ organization Fosters social dialogue on labour and employment issues among constituencies

5. Key Points ILO is not an organization for workers. ILO is not a police. It is you who can influence ILO, not us. It is you who initiate an action, not us. ILO is not a funding org, but an advocacy org.

6. ILO Regional Structure for AP ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Region (Bangkok) Subregional Office for East Asia (Bangkok) Subregional Office for South Asia (New Delhi) Subregional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Manila) MongoliaChina (+HK&M)ThailandVietnamCambodiaLaosMalaysia Burma (Myanmar)S. Korea Singapore India Bangladesh Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka Afghanistan Bhutan Iran Philippines Indonesia Timor Leste Fiji Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Island Kiribati Vanuatu AustraliaNew Zealand

7. Subregional Structure • Technical Specialists: • Int’l Labour Standards • Employment • Social Security • Industrial Relations • Employers’ Activities • Workers’ Activities Area Officein Jakarta Subregional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Manila) Area Officein Suva Philippines AustraliaNew Zealand Fiji Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Island Kiribati Vanuatu Indonesia Timor Leste Constituencies (Governments, Employers’ and Workers’ Organizations)

8. ACTRAV Structure for A/P ILO Head Office in Geneva Bro. RaghwanDesk Office for Asia/Pacificraghwan@ilo.org ILO SRO Bangkok Sis. Elsa RamosSenior Specialist on Workers’ Activitiesramose@ilo.org ILO SRO New Delhi Bro. Ahn Pong-Sul Senior Specialist on Workers’ Activitiesahn@ilo.org ILO SRO Manila Bro. Hiro IshibashiSenior Specialist on Workers’ Activitiesishibashi@ilo.org ILO RO Bangkok Sis. Christine NathanRegional Specialist for Workers’ Educationnathan@ilo.org ILO Turin Center Bro. Arun KumarProgramme Officer for Asia and the Pacific kumar@itcilo.org

9. 2. The International and Regional Commitments toDecent Work

10. Realization of Decent Work Fundamental principles and rights at work and labour standards 1 2 Better opportunities for women and men to secure decent employment and income 3 Social protection for all(social securities, OSH/E, HIV/AIDS) 4 Strengthening social dialogue(national, regional and global levels)

11. Decent Work is a Global Goal “To make the goals of full and productive employment and decent work for all a central objective of national and international macroeconomic policies as well as poverty reduction strategies” Para. 47 : 2005 UN Summit Outcome Document

12. ILO Conventions on OSH General Provisions: Occupational Safety and Health Convention (No. 155) Occupational Health Services Convention (No. 161) Protection against specific risks: Radiation Protection Convention (No. 115) Occupational Cancer Convention (No. 139) Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration) Convention (No. 148) Asbestos Convention (No. 162) Chemicals Convention (No. 170) Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention (No. 174) Protection in specific branches of activity: Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention (No. 120) Safety and Health in Construction Convention (No. 167) Safety and Health in Mines Convention (No. 176) Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention (No. 184)

13. Ratification Status

14. Decent Work must bean Asian Goal too! “Realizing Decent Work in Asia” The main theme of the 14th Asian Regional Meeting of the ILO(Busan, 29 Aug. - 1 Sept. 2006)

15. To Make D.W. a Reality in A/P Five Key Areas of Work 1 Productivity, Growth & Competitiveness 2 Youth Employment 3 Management of labour migration 4 Good governance 5 Social protection for all

16. 1. Productivity, Growth & Competitiveness KEY QUESTIONS: • How to promote productivity growth and competitiveness without sacrificing jobs (and vice versa); • How to ensure fairer distribution of the productivity gains among the social partners. KEY ACTIONS: • Focused investment in dynamic growing sectors (e.g. service sector) and in the sectors where labour is dominant (e.g. agriculture); • Creating the enabling environment for enterprise development in the formal economy • Enhancing trainability and employability of workers

17. 2. Youth Employment KEY QUESTIONS: • How to ensure smooth and successful transition from school to decent employment with decent income; • How to provide appropriate and sufficient social protection at key stages in life-cycle by adopting a “life-cycle perspective”. KEY ACTIONS: • Reforming education and training systems for young people in a way to reduce skill mismatches and increase employability; • Increasing labour demand for young people; and • Promoting entrepreneurship for young people.

18. 3. Management ofLabour Migration KEY QUESTIONS: • How to ensure a “win-win-win” situation among sending countries, receiving countries and migrant workers. KEY ACTIONS: • Develop a non-binding, rights-based “regional framework” with: • Realistic long-term assessment system of labour supply and demand in different countries; • A system of mutual recognition of skills qualifications and competency standards. • Ratify Convention 97 and 143

19. 4. Labour Market Governance KEY QUESTIONS: • How to realize “Decent Work” in the context of global production systems, competition and changing patterns of employment relations; and • How to achieve an ideal balance between security, stability and flexibility. KEY ACTIONS: • Reform labour laws (in conformity with ILSs) and labour market governance institutions with full involvement of social partners; • Reform labour administration and expand coverage to the most vulnerable workers

20. 5. Social Protection for All KEY QUESTIONS: • How to extend the social protection coverage to the uncovered workers, especially in the informal economy, rural agriculture and migration. KEY ACTIONS: • Extend the coverage of national schemes to the informal economy supplemented by voluntary community-based and micro insurance schemes and other mechanisms; • Strengthen national capacity to ensure sound financial management, good governance and adequate institutional approach; and • Design and test new approaches and tools to reduce poverty based on “comprehensive responses”

21. Tripartism is the KEYfor our Success

22. Realizing Decent Work in Asia Poverty reduction through a rights based approach to development Institutionalize real tripartism and partnerships with development actors Facilitate C.B. to address productivity, job growth, job protection Stronger employers’ and workers’ organizations No freedom of association, no decent work The main targets of the ILO’sDecent Work Country Programmes

23. 3. Decent Work Country Program and Priority Outcomes: How the ILO works at a national level

24. What is DWCP? • Framework for delivery of ILO services to our constituencies; • “Results-Based Management”; • Dialogue about “priorities” at the national level; • Opportunity for constituencies to influence how the ILO works.

25. How does DWCP work? Member states (through tripartite consultations) set specific “Decent Work Objectives/Priorities” (just 2-3 priorities) to be achieved in 2006-2007 ILO supports the member states to achieve the objectives/priorities

26. Country’s Own Objectives and ILO’s Objectives Country’s OwnObjectives DWCP ILO’s Objectives

27. Possible Problem OSH and/or HIV/AIDS are not listed as priority issue in the DWCP for your country If OSH & HIV/AIDS are really a top priority for workers and for trade unions, you need to make sure that they are included in DWCP.

28. 4. Developing your own strategy

29. What do you need (want)to accomplish ultimately? • Eradication of occupational injuries, death and diseases How can you achieve the target? What to do???

30. What are the Necessary Condition for your Success? Strong national political will, commitment, policy and budget allocation Sufficient legal protection covering all types of workers Existence of free, democratic, representative and competent trade unions Awareness of all citizens on OSH & HIV/AIDS issues and their participation

31. Strong Political Will, Commitment, Policy and Budget • Strength: • National tripartite OSH committee; • Public OSH Center/Institution; • OSH could always be an entry point for bipartite/tripartite social dialogue. • Weakness • Capacity of trade unions on OSH • Lack of specialized OSH officers availableat all levels

32. Legal Protection • Strength • ILO Standards (Conventions and Recommendations) on OSH; • Other international instruments promoting OSH. • Weakness • Weak national legislation; • Low ratification of ILO Conventions; • Unions have little knowledge on int’l guidelines (?)

33. Existence of Trade Unions with Competency • Strength: • Corelationship between the presence of unions and high OSH standards; • Unions can be a good partner for managers. • Weakness • FOA is weak in Asia/Pacific, hence unions are weak; • Union leaders are often weak in understanding and technical OSH issues.

34. Public/Mass Awareness on OSH • Strength: • OSH issues are relatively easy to attract people’s attention; • Media can support OSH initiatives. • Weakness • Difficulty in reaching the workers & families in the socially excluded areas/groups; • Using media is often expensive.

35. Your Workplan

36. The Key Points • Analysis of the current OSH and/or HIV/AIDS situations; • Clear long- & short-term objectives and outcomes to be achieved (specific changes); • Strategies to achieve the target; • Realistic budget.

37. Good Luck!