Not My Life: Globalization and Modern Slavery

By Armand Pereira

On January 19th, 2011, the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City will hold the world premiere of Not My Life — a feature-length documentary film about modern-day slavery and global human trafficking, about horrifying practices that affect millions of children, women and men in every part of the world — a shameful but neglected reality in our “global village”.

Can the financial crisis be a good thing for poorer workers?

by Vittorio Longhi

The word for “crisis” in Chinese has the extra connotation of “opportunity”, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Global wage report researchers explain. With a fair degree of wilful optimism, the study suggests that the current economic and job crises might provide a good, probably unique, opportunity to develop a much more effective wage policy, which would contribute to an economy that’s actually sustainable, both in industrialised and developing countries.

The data shows that the crises have hit employment and wage levels harder in advanced economies, but these countries can rely on well established social protection systems. The question, beyond the statistics, is what the impact will be in developing countries, in terms of wealth redistribution, desirable work opportunities and social justice. continue

Workplace policies to tackle HIV and AIDS

In June 2010 the Government, Employer and Worker representatives that make up the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted the first international labour standard to focus specifically on HIV and AIDS. The Recommendation concerning HIV and AIDS and the world of work 2010 (No.200) takes a rights-based approach to the pandemic and contains comprehensive measures to improve access to prevention, treatment and care, and to eliminate stigma and discrimination in the work place. On World AIDS Day 2010, ILO Online spoke to Dr. Sophia Kisting, Director of the ILO Global Programme on HIV and AIDS and the world of work, about progress made on giving effect to the Recommendation since adoption in June.

Freedom of Association: ILO Committee reports on the most serious and urgent cases

Five “serious and urgent” violations of Freedom of association emerged from the last meeting of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association, which analysed over 30 cases last week, in Geneva. The worst situations refer to Cambodia, Panama, Fiji, Argentina and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The Committee’s 358th full report has just been published by the ILS Department.
Also read: “ILO Governing body concludes discussions on Freedom of Association”

Government of Jamaica committed to welfare of seafarers

Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles has pledged Government’s commitment to ensure that Jamaican seafarers and foreigners who work on the country’s ships enjoy decent working conditions. The minister also promised that the country would continue to promote the training and employment of the Jamaican crew as the shipping industry plays a key role in the Caribbean economy with over 90 per cent of goods arriving by sea.

Child labour in Pakistan: a threat to the future

By Mashal Sahir

If poverty justifies child labour, then it should also justify burglary, prostitution, kidnapping, smuggling and all other crimes. Child labour is a much more serious crime compared to others, because unlike other crimes that affect individuals, child labour affects an entire generation.

Canada: talks with EU MPs on Indigenous rights violations

Further news from North America about indigenous peoples’  rights (ILO Convention 169) and fights against the impact of tars sands on health, livelihoods and human rights.  

On November 5 the Indigenous Environmental Network hosted an informal meeting between Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and elected leadership from First Nations in Alberta and BC to discuss Indigenous rights violations in their communities as a result of the world’s largest and most destructive development known as Canada’s Tar Sands. High on the agenda for the First Nations is the impacts of the current proposed EU Fuel Quality Directive that proposes to list Tar Sands as a dirty fuel.

Sri Lanka violates core labour rights, ITUC says

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) reported yesterday to the World Trade Organisation that “while Sri Lanka has ratified all eight of the International Labour Organization’s core conventions, it has largely failed to implement these conventions,” as noted by Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC.

Philippines: Department of labour urges partners to support Convention for domestic workers

Philippines Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz urged labor, management, and other stakeholders to support the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in crafting comments and responses to the proposed International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention and Recommendations on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

Swaziland: ILO should not come only in times of crisis

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Lutfo Dlamini, yesterday implored the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) High-Level delegation not come to Swaziland only in times of crisis. “You must come to Swaziland even when there are no issues,” he said. Dlamini said it was important for the country and ILO to have regular consultative meetings as they would help Swaziland advance in its labour-relations endeavours.