Argentinian Unions present their contributions to SDG 8 and the Decent Work Agenda at high-level Tripartite Dialogue forum

On Wednesday 13 November, the three Argentinian trade unions affiliated to the ITUC (CGTRA, CTA-A and CTA-T), participated in a tripartite dialogue on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the challenges ahead to strengthen social dialogue in the 2030 Agenda. More specifically, participants analysed how social dialogue in Argentina has contributed to develop and carry on actions contributing to the achievement of SDG 8 - decent work and sustainable growth - in the country since the UN’s approval of the SDGs in 2015.

The Union of Construction Workers of Argentina hosted this event in which over 100 people participated. Along with the delegates of the trade unions(*), there were representatives of the ministry of employment, the employers’ organisation Argentina’s Industrial Union (UIA), the ILO Argentina office, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), universities, NGOs, cooperatives, human rights defenders, faith-based organisations and other civil society organisations (many of them are members of the Argentinian development platform PAMPA 2030).

Speaking on behalf of the three trade unions, Gerardo Martínez (Secretary of International Relations of the CGTRA), pointed out the importance of social dialogue and the need for the effective constitution of a Social Economic Development Council in Argentina, from which basic consensus is designed to associate productivity, development and employment.

In addition, the vice-President of the UIA, Daniel Fuentes de Roja, said that the organisation was committed to decent work. In addition, the representative of UNDP praised the Argentinian unions for having successfully represented the development views and positions of other civil society organisations through the PAMPA 2030. And, finally, Pedro Furtado de Oliveira, director of the ILO Argentina Office, said that the Argentinian Tripartite Dialogue Table on the SDGs is paramount to develop a national programme on decent work devised through the lenses of the 2030 Agenda.

During the sessions, the trade unions jointly presented how their work contributes to SDG8 and the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda. In addition, the unions used the ITUC’s global campaign on SDG 8 "# Time for 8 - the clock is ticking for a New Social Contract" to visualise their solutions to overcome the main challenges that are hampering Argentina’s sustainable development and reach a New Social Contract for the country.

(*) The Confederación General del Trabajo R.A. (CGTRA), Central de Trabajadores de la Argentina - Autónoma (CTA-A), and Central de Trabajadores de la Argentina (CTA-T).

 


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Picture: Gerardo Martínez, General Secretary of CGTRA International addresses the audience during the tripartite dialogue.