Mamadou Diallo talked about the unions’ perspective on the growing anxiety about the quality and availability of decent jobs and the need to make more progress in several key fields for the creation of decent work for all and the achievement of SDG 8 such as: increasing employment opportunities, particularly for young people; reducing informal employment; reducing the gender pay gap; and promoting safe and secure working environments.

“The implementation of the SDG 8 is instrumental to the global labour movement’s call for a New Social Contract that includes a universal labour guarantee that provides a protection floor for all workers.

 Mamadou Diallo, ITUC Deputy General Secretary

He stressed that SDG8 has a pivotal role within the whole of the 2030 Agenda and that it has a crosscutting impact on almost all SDGs targets. But he also underlined that there still are important obstacles on the way to achieving SDG8 by 2030 and he criticised the United Nations’ Secretary General Report on SDGs for not taking them sufficiently into account. For instance, regarding labour rights, the UN report does not make any reference to the recognition in SDG8 that inclusive growth starts with compliance with the freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.

Diallo also talked about the central role that social dialogue plays in forging sustainable National Action plans for achieving SDG. And insisted on the importance for governments in delivering on their commitment to treating employers and trade unions on an equal stand.

During the discussion following his intervention, several country representatives stated their support and confirmed that for them labour rights, decent work and social dialogue are indeed paramount to implement and successfully achieve SDG 8.

To conclude, Mamadou Diallo insisted on the central role of SDG 8 for the 2030 Agenda and the labour movement. He stressed that it is very importance for sustainable development to put in place mechanisms to ensure that enabling environment for investment go hand in hand with business accountability. Morevover, he reminded the Plenary that the ILO plays a very important role in achieveing SDG 8 and that its 100 Declaration provides the world with a framework for SDG 8, asking for : fundamental workers’ rights, max of working hours, adequate living wages and Occupational Health and Safety.

#timefor8

Mamadou Diallo seized the occasion to mention the campaign #TimeFor8, which highlights the centrality of the labour agenda within the SDGs and the compelling need to address the big challenges related to SDG 8 in order to achieve the whole of the 2030 Agenda.

 
Back to the main page on the HLPF 2019