Geneva – The International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Monday said gainful employment was the only key to meeting socio-economic and political challenges facing humanity.
The ILO Director General, Mr Guy Ryder said this while addressing more than 5,000 government, workers and employers from the ILO’s 187 member states at the 105th International Labour Conference holding in Geneva.
Ryder said the world leaders must assume the responsibilities of the ILO’s social justice mandate if the benefits of transformative change at work were to be realised.
According to him, inequality, marginalization and division are not the phenomena to which the world of work must react to but “the consequence of what we do, how we behave, what we decide”.
He said that the world had entered an era where technology was generating innovate disruption of productive life.
“Such developments take place against a background of inequality, marginalisation, and division.
“If current trends towards and beyond already unacceptable levels of inequality are allowed to continue ultimately all will be losers.”
Ryder in the message, entitled:“ The End to Poverty Initiative: The ILO and the 2030 Agenda”’ warned that “the very wealth creating capacity that offers the prospect of consigning poverty to history also risks taking away social justice’’.
He called on delegates to have the broader context in mind as they go about their work in the conference.
Ryder also called for the review of the Labour Standards by the Committee on the Application of Standards.
He noted that “a strong, authoritative and relevant standards system is a precondition of an effective, influential ILO.
“This year’s Conference will also vote on approving proposed amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 to modify rules around Maritime Labour Certificates.
“It will also provide guidance on shipboard bullying and harassment. Another vote will be to adopt proposed changes to modernise seafarers’ identity documents as referred to in Convention 185.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that committees of workers, employers and government representatives would be considering how best to promote decent work in Global Supply Chains.
NAN reports that one of the committee would be revising the Recommendation 71 of the ILO instrument that provides guidance for responding to crisis through employment and job creation, among others.(NAN)