COUNTRY UPDATES Country i Launching of methodology Country Scan Constituents engagement &capacity building Priority technical areas in which follow-up assistance is being provide through Outcome Based Workplans El Salvador Xirinachs and Virgilio Levaggi (along with other regional staff) led a mission to El Salvador 3 5 February. Regional staff with assistance from HQ, prepared first draft of Scan Scan has been jointly distributed by Mr. Salazar and Mr. Maninat to all Executive Directors and Directors of Departments reporting to the Director General seeking their inputs. A tripartite consultative group has been established ACTRAV has initiated to a twoprong approach for capacity building of the national trade union centres, with a research component on selected agreed topics followed by a Trade Union meeting to support the work of the tripartite ad hoc Commission. Technical Secretary to the El Salvadorian President, Mr Alexander Segovia was conducted on the 19th to 21st May 2010. He met with the ILO Director General and senior ILO experts in the areas of employment, social protection, labour standards and social dialogue, to identify practical followup areas for assistance A detailed follow up report highlighting potential areas of support from the ILO was prepared (may 2010) and submitted.to the government and social partners. Based on these inputs a Salvadorian Pact is being considered. Support in the draft of the national Pact is being currently provided by the ILO. Bulgaria Kari Tapiola led high level mission on 25 February 2010. Scan is now being finalized, and will shortly be shared and discussed with the technical specialists in the Region and in HQ for inputs before publishing The National Council for Tripartite Cooperation had resulted in the adoption of a national package to support the fiscal policy, business, employment and householders which includes 59 anti crisis measures ACTRAV is preparing a number of capacity building initiatives to create a joint trade union position paper on the Bulgarian Pact for Economic Growth and Employment. ACT/EMP is considering hosting a technical workshop on pension reform in September. In May 2010, the ILO undertook a multi disciplinary mission to Bulgaria to participate in a workshop to review the 60 anti crisis measures, developed by the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation. ILO is providing technical assistance to the National Social Security Institute and social partners on the proposed pension reforms. Jordan George Dragnich ld high level mission in Study on "Impact Appraisal of Crisis in Jordan" and first draft of the Global Jobs Pact Scan. ACTRAV has initiated preliminary contacts with the Jordanian unions to hold a capacity building During the ILC met with the Minister of Labour. who confirmed interest and commitment to advance the progress. Page 1
February 2010 These are expected to be completed by May 2010. These will be presented to the government and social partners through a follow up mission and eventually presently it to ECOSOC in Jordan. activity where the main focus would be strengthening of FoA and CB rights in Tourism, Textile and Construction sectors. During the ILC met with the Minister of Labour, who confirmed interest and prioritize. George Dragnich wrote to the Minister seeking his confirmation of this agreement (24 June) so that work can start on the Country Scan and associated capacity building efforts. Subsequently, there has been a change of Minister and Regional Office has briefed the new Minister who instructed the Head of the Policy Unit to prepare a letter confirm their interest and commitment to proceed with the Scan. Indonesia The Vice President Office hosted a Preparatory Meeting for the Steering Committee on May 17 th, 2010. In this meeting, the creation of the Indonesian Jobs Pact was formally endorsed. First draft of the Scan produced by ILO Jakarta and GJP secretariat assistance The draft Scan was jointly distributed by Mr. Salazar and Ms. Yamamoto to all Executive Directors, Directors of Departments reporting to the Director General, and Director of Asia & Pacific Decent Work Technical Support Team, seeking there inputs. The Scan was updated and the ILO s Decent Work Team in Bangkok is undertaking a multidisciplinary mission to Jakarta (16 18 August) to present the scan and At the beginning of the national process, ACTRAV and ACT/EMP facilitated training with their constituency to prepare for the work ahead. The Employers Association of Indonesia hosted a meeting in April 2010, with representatives of provinces from around the country to discuss the Indonesian Jobs Pact and the employers position. Similarly, the four leading trade union confederations in Indonesia hosted a workshop in March to discuss their inputs and suggestions for the Indonesia Jobs Pact. Through this meeting, they developed a common position paper to submit as their input to the Pact. Similar workshops are envisages to finalize the IJP. Support was initially provided in monitoring impact of the crisis In cooperation with Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the ILO undertook a survey to understand the impact of the crisis on the incidence of child labour Case studies of the apparel industry to understand the impact of the crisis on this key industry and how companies are responding Monitoring surveys of the impact of the crisis on Indonesian migrant workers and their families; analysis of the needs of migrant workers for assistance in destination countries and in Indonesia and the livelihoods needs of migrant workers and their families and sending communities Four priorities of the Indonesian Jobs Pact Steering committee 1. Employment creation Development of a dynamic social accounting matrix, which is used to analyze the direct, indirect and induced employment impact of government spending. The analysis helps to maximize the employment effects of public investment by generating more temporary public employment. Undertaking of employment diagnostic analysis in Nusa Tenggara Timur and East Java Provinces with a view to support provincial governments and social partners to develop strategies and policies for enhancing productive employment and decent work. 2. Enhancing the full implementation of the Social Security System Law in Indonesia (No: 4/2004 Implementing a joint study on social protection with German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Reconstruction Credit Institute (KfW) to explore options for extending social protection coverage to workers in the informal economy. 3. Improving industrial relations Currently being defined as part of the completion of the GJP Country Scan and with the engagement of Outcome Coordinators Sector 4 will be conducting a mission to Indonesia in September to advance this Outcome, most probably focusing on dispute resolution. 4. Improving labour productivity (including skills, wages and employability) Currently being defined as part of the completion of the GJP Country Scan and with the Page 2
engagement of Outcome Coordinators Assistance with the revitalization of vocational training centers (BLK) Assistance in development of the Indonesia Jobs Pact Conceptual and drafting assistance being provided Facilitating linkages with other locally based international organizations, UNDP, ADB, GTZ, World Bank, The Steering Committee considers that a National Jobs Summit should take place to launch the Pact. South Africa Xirinachs led high level mission 19 th 21 st May 2010 The DWT in Pretoria is finalizing the Scan (with the assistance of a national consultant) and will present it to constituents during September 2010. A first draft of the Country Scan will be internally distributed on 1st September 201o ILO Pretoria is organizing training on the National Framework Agreement and Global Jobs Pact for both workers and employers organizations. ACT/EMP are considering a programme of work to assist SMEs in recovery (envisaged before end September) The currently indentified GJP related priorities in which ILO assistance is currently being programmes: 1. Green Jobs: ILO Technical support to EDD / IDC in forecasting and assessing employment impact of green strategy. 2. Public investment: Maximising employment impact of infrastructure development - interest in DySAM methodology. 3. Wage-led growth - contribution to study/conference/strategy. I will followup with Neva Makgetla to discuss the details of this. 4. Public employment schemes and social security interventions: support to Phase II of ILO/NPC/UNDP/NALEDI project. 5. Labour inspection: building the capacity of labour inspectors (support toward the provincial training which will follow the 27 / 28 Sept Strategy Workshop on labour inspection) 6. UIF: Build capacity of Labour Administration to monitor impact of the recession on the UIF with a view to improving the administration of unemployment benefits. 7. Collective bargaining: Research / study on role of CCMA (training layoff scheme) and collective bargaining in retaining employment and facilitating industry/enterprise adjustment. Workshop to be held with CCMA and Bargaining Councils in November 2010 and March 2011 to present findings with a view to promoting 'model clauses'. Support to be determined (pending): 1. Support to seminar on industrial policy possibly in collaboration with other other international organizations (e.g. World Bank) 2. SME institutional framework and policy coordination 3. New growth path - national and sectoral social pacts: process and research support. Argentina 26 May 2010 meeting between Minister Tomada and the Scan is currently being drafted with assistance of a national consultant. First Initial discussions have already taken place with the Unión Industrial Argentina (UIA) and Three areas of priorities were defined in early 2010 based on the DWCP of Argentina which were already agreed to by all partners and in line with the Page 3
Mongolia Nigeria Mali Regional Deputy Director G. Miranda agreed on the next steps for taking forward the GJP in Argentina. Xirinachs intends to lead a mission in mid October at which time the Scan will be presented to constituents. Following consultants during the ILC and missions from HQ and Beijing Office, social partners agree to launch process a national Jobs Pact process draft to be submitted in late August/early September. Scan has been started based with assistance of national consultant the Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT) in Argentina. A working group is in the process of being established between the technical specialists at the Ministry, the social partners and the ILO. The Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions (CMTU), Mongolian Employers Federation (MONEF) and the Ministry of Social Welfare and Labor of Mongolia (MSWL) have completed a series of regional tripartite employment fora (60 100 participants) in all aimags to discuss local issues and problems pertaining to employment, labour conditions, industrial relations and social dialogue. A major National Employment Forum will be held in mid October The CMTU has prepared a position paper, which is currently being finalized through its members. G20 recommendations: Macroeconomic issues and employment; Active Labour Market and Employment as part of reactivation; Social protection programmes and support to gender equity. Currently being discussed. It is expected that the main priority areas will be identified, discussed and agreed upon at the National Employment Forum in October. Xirinachs plans to lead high level mission to Nigeria in September 2010 Preparations for capacity building and the Scan are being undertaken This is a newly added country. Assane Diop has been invited to lead process from HQ in conjunction the Regional and Local Offices. Page 4
i In the order in which the process was launched. Page 5