ILO, Employers and Unions Joint Call for Jobs-centred Crisis Response

During its 316th Governing Body held last week in Geneva, the ILO called for crisis-response measures strongly focused on decent and productive employment opportunities and social inclusion making full use of social dialogue and respecting rights in the workplace.

A statement issued by the Officers of the ILO Governing Body at the end of the session pointed out that “The latest forecast predict further challenges to economic growth over 2012 and in 2013 which will deepen the global jobs gap that worsened with the 2008 crisis. There is a high risk of the world economy sliding into a period of prolonged low or negative growth that will exacerbate the already bleak outlook for poverty alleviation, social cohesion, sustainable enterprises and employment, particularly of young people.”

“We are pleased that employers and governments are supporting this agenda at the international level. Social dialogue is a key means to handle the crisis effectively and get back to job-creating growth,” said Luc Cortebeeck, spokesperson for the Workers’ Group at the ILO. “We need the global and regional financial institutions to recognise this too, as must national governments.”

See the full Officers’ statement on the crisis

In another development at last week’s ILO meeting, the Workers’ Group of the Governing Body of the ILO issued a statement regarding the sentencing by the Kenyan High Court of Justice on 10 October of Francis Atwoli, General Secretary of the (COTU(k)) and member of the Governing body and the statement regarding Chad (in French)