Considering negotiations in the context of the informal economy. Pong-Sul Ahn Regional Workers Education Specialist ILO ROAP, Bangkok

Transcription

1 Considering negotiations in the context of the informal economy Pong-Sul Ahn Regional Workers Education Specialist ILO ROAP, Bangkok

2 Three main segments of employment in the IE categorized by the ILO Owners or employers of micro-enterprises employing a few workers Own account workers working alone or with unpaid employees (largest segment) Dependent workers serving employers without contract and working on casual basis 2

3 Segments of Occupations in the Informal Economy Industrial Segments Agro products Forestry Fishery Manufacturing Service providers Construction Art skills Occupations Self-employed, small land holders, landless peasants, sugarcane, grapes, tea leaf picking/ tea plant plucking, tobacco, food processing, poultry, cattle herders, dairy, bee farming, mushroom, flowers, etc. Tendu leaves picking, charcoal-making, etc. Fishermen, fish drying and processing, fish pickle-making, fishing net and boat repair, etc. Leather, textile, ready-made garments (RMG), weaving, embroidering, home-based workers, goldsmiths/ jewelers, shoe-making, bidirolling, printers/book-binders, etc. Transport workers, rickshaw pullers, loading and unloading, hawkers, barbers, beauty parlours, hotel/restaurant assistants, cinema workers, household workers, community centres, nursing, electric/ electronics, engineering, etc. Stone quarrying, brick kiln, masonry, carpentry, welding, pipe connecting, etc. Brassware, thanka, bamboo, wood, clay, other handicrafts, etc. 3

4 Nature of the Informal Economy Small scale of production micro and small industries Use of family labour agriculture/ self-employment Unorganised labour - construction Indigenous/ low technology - handicraft Lower quality products home-based work Mass consumer goods agricultural products 4

5 Trends of Women s Employment in the Informal Economy Increase in the economically active participation of female workforce Increase in own account - self-employed, homework, subcontracting The majority working in low skill/low quality jobs, labour intensive manufacturing production & EPZs Shift from agriculture to manufacturing and services like call centres Job segregation and cultural barriers restrict women s employment 5

6 Employment characteristics of the formal and informal sectors Particulars Formal sector Informal sector Job security High Low Working hours Fixed/ regulated Not fixed/ not regulated Wages Social security including medical allowance and sick leave Labour law including rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining Employee-employers relations with employment contract Safe work environment Unionization Regulated/ minimum wages Mostly provided Protective Issue of appointment letter Safer and securer working conditions Homogeneous, highly organized and better networked Not regulated/ no minimum wages None or little No or little legal protection Without appointment letter Vulnerable to dangerous and hazardous work Heterogeneous, unorganized and scattered 6

7 Ratification status of Asia and Pacific countries Country Freedom of association Forced labour Discrimination Child labour C087 C098 C029 C105 C100 C111 C138 C182 Afghanistan Australia Bangladesh Brunei Darussalam Cambodia China Cook Islands Fiji

8 Fiji Apr 2002 Apr 1974 Apr 1974 Apr 1974 Apr 2002 Apr 2002 Jan 2003 Apr 2002 India Nov 18 May Sep Jun Indonesia Jun Jul Jun Jun Aug Jun Jun 28 Mar Iran, Jun Apr Jun Jun May Islamic Republic of Japan Jun Oct Nov Aug 05 Jun Jun Kiribati 03 Feb 03 Feb 03 Feb 03 Feb Jun Jun Jun Jun Korea, Dec Dec Jan Mar Republic of Lao PDR Jan Jun Jun Jun Jun Malaysia Jun Nov Sep Sep 10 Nov den.: Oct 1958 den.:10 Jan 1990

9 Malaysia den.: Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal New Zealand Pakistan Papua New Guinea Philippines Samoa Singapore den.: Solomon Islands

10 Role of Trade Unions for Empowering the Informal Workers Segments Education & research Legislation Dialogue IGAs Social Security Organising Detailed activities - arranging education/ training programmes and discussion meetings - problem identification and solving - information collection and study in a specific sector/ workplaces - collecting good practices of organizing campaigns experienced by various unions - publication of posters/ leaflets / booklets - legal support with setting up of help-desk - amending union constitution to include the informal workers - application of the national minimum wages - modernization/ reform of labour law - enact on a new Act for the Informal and Unorganized Workers - including representatives of the informal workers - gain organizational/ political strength - lobby/ advocacy programmes - media mobilization - forming self-help groups - self-sustainability through vocational training and skills development - forming cooperatives - monitoring OSH situation and campaigning for safe work - establishing healthcare service centres - establishing welfare society/ cooperative-type organizations - organizing the unorganized/ informal workers - Trainers of Training (TOT) - establishment of the Informal Economy Support Unit - campaigning against poverty, child labour, gender inequality - issuing ID cards 10

11 THANK YOU 11