| Promote core international labour standards: High Level Trade Union Meeting for the G8 Kobe Jobs Conference |
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The TUAC and Rengo organized a preparatory meeting for the G8 Kobe Jobs Conference on 4 and 5 December 1997 at the Rengo HQ. Trade union leaders from G8 countries and three international organizations took part in this meeting. |
| On the first day the participants discussed the trade union statement prepared by the TUAC and also the position of the Japanese government with officials from the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. In the second day's morning the meeting finalized an appeal to the Government and adopted the Statement. The appeal was drafted based on the Statement with the emphasis on specific issues that would be discussed in the Kobe Conference, such as the recognition of trade unions as social partners and the promotion of core international labour standards. During the meeting with the Minister of Labour Mr. Bunmei Ibuki, the participants introduced the appeal and exchanged opinions with the Minister. AFL-CIO (USA), TUC (UK), CISL (Italy), CLC (Canada), DGB (Germany), CFDT and CGT-FO (France), FNPR (Russia), ICFTU, TUAC, WCL and Rengo were represented in the meeting. |
The following is the appeal to the Japanese Government: Appropriate national policy and international cooperation Growth-oriented macroeconomic policies and better international economic cooperation are essential to the improvement of employment both in quantity and quality. In this context Japan must expand domestic consumption as its contribution to a global growth policy, particularly in the light of the mounting criticism of the growing Japanese trade surplus. Europe has room to grow at faster speed without inflation if there is more coordination in setting up growth policy among the member States. The reduction of budget deficits should be achieved in the medium term and must not jeopardise short-term growth. |
| It is another important point for the G8fs international cooperation to request all countries participating in the global market to fully respect core labour standards. This is precondition for ensuring the fair distribution of the benefits out of globalization and avoiding a "race to the bottom." The ILO has an important role of defining core labour rights and standards. But these rights must be enforced in al international organizations and in trade and investment agreements including the WTO and the OECD, in particular in the forthcoming Multilateral Agreement of Investment (MAI). |
| National efforts to reduce and reorganise working time are important for the improvement of living conditions for both women and men as well as being on way of raising employment. They should be promoted through cooperation and negotiation between governments, employers and trade unions. |
| Promotion of smooth adjustment to structural change Competitiveness should be based on enterprises developing to become "high performance and knowledge intensive workplaces. This requires the introduction of new technology and the raising of workers' skill levels which can be only achieved effectively through establishing mutual trust between employers, employees and their trade unions. The basis of the trust is secure, not contingent employment, fair wages and procedures for consultation and negotiation between management and trade unions. |
| Employment growth must not based on the creation of insecure jobs with low wages and growing inequality which has been one side of US "flexible labour markets." |
| Employment creation in new area of economic activities is essential, especially in the area that enables sustainable development, such as environment, resource-saving technology, social services for ageing population, education and medical services. For financing and meeting these demands and the development of these new sectors, there is a need for effective cooperation between public and private sectors, although delivery systems will vary from one country to another. |
| The implication of the adoption of new efforts to combat a global climate change at the Kyoto Environment Conference will also necessitate a major effort to encourage "sustainable employment." |
| Employment of youth shouldering responsibility of the future The Japanese Government has pointed out the importance of an employment or training guarantee for school leavers, and has proposed an extensive exchange of experience on measures to prevent youth unemployment. The OECD is also to undertake a major project on your unemployment. |
| Japan and Germany have been relatively successful in limiting your unemployment. In Japan schools provide detailed information on employment and act as intermediaries between school leavers and employers. Germany has a well-established "dual" system of apprenticeship and vocational training. Exchange on these experiences would be useful. A common requirement for systems to functions well is that there should be close cooperation between government, employers and trade unions, which also covers the content and working conditions of young workers. |
| Human resources development for prime-aged workers for social progress The continuous development of workers' skills throughout the life cycle is essential both to high performance workplaces as well to employment security. It is also necessary to extend this beyond a few well-practising enterprises and particularly to increase opportunities for workers in medium and small-sized enterprises. Lifelong learning must not just be for developing enterprises but rather to guarantee the employability and improvement of living conditions of the individual women and man in the face of rapid changes in technology and global trade and investment. Expanding sectors, mainly in service industries must be made attractive to work in and many traditionally feminized professions in the caring and medical sectors must achieve pay equality with male demanded professions. Adaptable labour market need a major emphasis on putting in place systems for lifelong, certification of skills, systems for education/training leave and where appropriate job rotation allowing long-term unemployment to gain work experience. The reduction of working time and increase in learning time should be negotiated between governments, employers and trade unions. |
| Realization of active ageing Employment discrimination against older workers must be stopped and information and experience on gwhat worksh in this field is necessary. Individual circumstances differ and compulsory early retirement must be discouraged. With an ageing population it is necessary to adopt a phased approach from work to retirement in which the skill and physical conditions of work and workers are taken account of. Increasing employment opportunities for minorities, women, youth and disabled people, based on fair remuneration. |
| Conclusions Throughout the agenda of the Kobe Jobs Conference, it is essential to recognize trade unions as a full partner in employment promotion, to adopt employment friendly economic and social policies both nationally and internationally, and to agree on the need to promote the full respect of core labour standards in the global trade and investment system as an essential precondition for fair competition. On these basic points we insist that governments reach consensus on action. |
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