Alice Abreu Director, Office of Education, Science and Technology (OEST)

1. Presentation of Workshop on “Innovation and Decent Work” for COSATE and CEATAL Buenos Aires, March 7th and 8th, 2005 Alice Abreu Director, Office of Education, Science and Technology (OEST) Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (ESID) Second Meeting of IACML Working Groups Buenos Aires, April 11th - 13th, 2005

2. Great Challenge and opportunity for the IACML in 2005: IV Summit of the Americas: “Creating Employment to confront Poverty and Strengthen Democratic Governance” • Represents a great opportunity to reorient priorities and actions • It implies a great challenge – To achieve the active participation of the IACML in the process towards the Summit and to guarantee inclusion of social actors The common objective of activities of the IACML must be: Assure that the Labor Ministries, COSATE and CEATAL make substantive contributions to Summit process

3. WORKSHOP ON DECENT WORK AND IACML PREPARATORY MTG. SIRG and Gral. As. SIRG SIRG WG’s Draft Report WG’s Final Report (SIRG Sept.) Key Messages for the Summit (SIRG June) Great Challengeand opportunity for the IACML in 2005: IV Summit of the Americas:“Creating Employment to confront Poverty and Strenghten Democratic Governance” IACML Activities: WORKSHOP ON “INNOVATION AND DECENT WORK” COSATE AND CEATAL WGs AND PREPARATORY MTG PLANNING MTG. XIV IACML Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Summit Activities: IV SUMMIT

4. Working Groups 1 and 2 Meeting Buenos Aires, April 11 - 13, 2005 Group II Meeting Building the Capacity of Labor Ministries President: El Salvador Vice-president: Canada Group I Meeting Labor Dimensions of Summit of the Americas Process President: Argentina Vice-president: United States Joint Meeting Common topics regarding cooperation mechanisms and proposals First Preparatory Meeting Discussion of the drafts of the XIV IACML Declaration and Action Plan

5. Meeting of Working Groups 1 and 2 Buenos Aires, April 11 - 13, 2005 Group I Meeting Labor Dimensions of Summit of the Americas Process Group II Meeting Building the Capacity of Labor Ministries • Labor Administration and Sustainability of Cooperation Projects • Skills Certification • Promotion of the ILO Declaration (Child Labor and Labor Relations) • Occupational Health and Safety • Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises • The Impacts on Economic Integration and Trade on Labor and Employment • Professional Training • Gender Perspective in Labor Policies • Informal Work

6. Meeting of Working Groups 1 and 2 Buenos Aires, April 11 - 13, 2005 First Preparatory Meeting Joint Meeting • Discussion of the First Proposal of the Declaration and Action Plan of Mexico • Definition of key messages to be presented in the SIRG Meeting on June, 2005 • Report on the Workshop “Innovation and Decent Work” for COSATE and CEATAL • Proposals on the Inter-American Cooperation Mechanism for Professional Labor Administration • Proposal on an Inter-American Mechanism to Promote Decent Work • Links between Labor and Economic Policies

7. Workshop “Innovation and Decent Work” COSATE and CEATAL Buenos Aires, March 7th and 8th, 2005 • Great opportunity for workers and employers (gathered in COSATE and CEATAL) to make contributions to the discussions towards the IV Summit of the Americas. • Main Objective: To elaborate a joint document of proposals, that was presented by COSATE and CEATAL representatives to the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG) on March 10th , 2005.

8. Workshop “Innovation and Decent Work” COSATE and CEATAL • Main Topics: • Technology, Innovation and Growth with Employment • Decent Work and Gender Dimension • Competitiveness, Productivity and Social Dialogue • Competitiveness, Corporate Social Responsibility and Employers Organizations • Participants • 20 Worker Unions and Employer Organizations • Representation of 11 countries from all Western Hemisphere sub-regions

9. Unique and fundamental role played by Workers and Employers’ Organizations in the definition of employment and labour policies. Key Actors in the context of civil society, therefore deserve a privileged role in the discussions towards the Summit. Workshop “Innovation and Decent Work” COSATE and CEATAL Proposal presented to the SIRG (Main topics): Equity and Gender Dimension should be cross cutting component in analysis and action. Patterns of gender segmentation should be avoided Life-long learning and professional training are key tools and shared responsibilities

10. Workshop “Innovation and Decent Work” COSATE and CEATAL Recommendations Document presented to the SIRG (some topics): Strengthening tripartite social dialogue at national, regional and hemispheric level. Promotion of collective negotiation Linkages between economic and social-labour policies. Ministries of Labour and their participation should be strengthened. • Corporate social responsibility is of interest for all actors involved. It has voluntary character and cannot redeem the State from its obligations. • Innovation is a joint commitment of Employers, workers and governments. • Call on SIRG to take into consideration these proposals.

11. Technical Secretariat of the IACML Office of Education, Science and Technology Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) Organization of American States http://www.oest.oas.org