Catholic-inspired organizations at the 109th Session of the ILC (10 November 2021, Global)
Catholic-inspired organizations at the 109th Session of the ILC
The International Labour Organization (ILO) was established in 1919 and is a United Nations agency bringing together governments, employers, and workers from 187 member States to jointly set international labour standards and to implement policies and programmes promoting decent work for all. The ILO is committed to promoting human and labour rights and aims to encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection, and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.
The International Labour Conference (ILC) is the ILO’s annual policy-setting mechanism and for the first time in its history, it was held virtually. The 109th Session of the ILC focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world of work and this year’s Conference included video messages from world leaders such as Pope Francis and US President Joe Biden.
The pandemic shows in dramatic and life-threatening way that in our global growth-oriented economy essential work is often informal, undervalued and precarious in spite of its special care for human life, society, and environment. After discussions a strong call to action on the pandemic was adopted unanimously by government, union, and employer representatives. This global call for a human-centred recovery prioritizes the creation of “decent jobs” and addresses inequalities caused by the crisis.
At a challenging time for international relations, effective recovery depends on positive cooperation among the social partners, civil society, States, and other actors. In this context, a group of four Catholic-inspired organizations (CIOs) had not only something to say during the past ILC knowing that they can play a crucial role in defending the dignity of workers and in promoting social dialogue but they also prepared for the ILC with a seminar on May 27th, 2021, a webinar called “Promoting employment and decent work in a changing landscape – What is at stake at this ILC for Europe and the World?”
Kolping International
KOLPING INTERNATIONAL (KI) commented on the report of the general Director under the headline of Strengthening Protection and resilience especially for the informal economy. KI applauded the ILO for their continuous and participatory efforts to point out the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic especially for the vulnerable and essential groups of workers.
KI deplores the discrepancy between the reality of protection for informal workers and the possibilities given by previous work of the ILO to procure standards (in particular C177, C189, C190) and recommendations (like R202 and R204) meant to increase protection and resilience. The lack of implementation jeopardizes the life and well- being of whole populations in the informal economy. It is not a matter of re-inventing the wheel, but of consequently ratifying, implementing, and controlling the standards and recommendation. This is a task of all member- states and social partners, who were part of the negotiating process.
Social dialogue in its best participatory form can lead to positive results of better protection and resilience of informal workers. Hence, KI hopes for the promotion of decentralized work of the ILO and commits being a partner for ILO in these efforts.
International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) has continued to advocate for access to decent work for labour migrants, including through collaboration with global civil society partners and stakeholders, and for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all people everywhere, including refugees and migrants.
ICMC’s statement at the 109th ILC identified access to healthcare, vaccines, decent work, and fundamental rights as the key to an effective global recovery from the pandemic. Moreover, ICMC focused attention on the countless refugee and migrant families across the world that are being denied equitable access to preventive measures (including vaccines), as well as diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19; a fully inclusive and person-centred approach is essential to an effective response to this global pandemic.
Now more than ever, as we face significant geopolitical tension and waning commitment to multilateralism, we must promote positive, comprehensive, and effective cooperation among States, civil society, and other stakeholders. From ICMC, we are convinced that the ILO can and must play a key role defending the dignity of workers and promoting social dialogue between governments, employers’, and workers’ associations, within the overall context of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
International Young Christian Workers (IYCW)
IYCW took the floor at the plenary of the labour Conference bringing the example of a contract worker from Peru who lost her job due to the pandemic as one example showing the vulnerability of precarious workers whose employment relationships are of course among those to be ended. This form of work, as well as all forms of precarious and informal work related to online platforms, is increasing even more in the aftermath of the pandemic.
The need for strong and global Social Protection for all is evident while realizing the value of Care – Work. This valorization needs to be expressed by working conditions. Occupational health and safety must be guaranteed everywhere. Everyone needs a dignified income. Working rights need to be updated to our digital reality; young people need real options and dignified working conditions; and that it is necessary to act for real gender equality. Discussion should address the causes of increasing inequalities. In the same sense, actors who profited economically from the pandemic must contribute accordingly to the common good.
During the Committee sessions in the support of INSP!R, the International Network for Social Protection Rights, IYCW called on a full implementation of ILO convention 102 and recommendation N. 202, emphasizing special need of youth as vulnerable group and claiming social protection as a human right. Infrastructures such as water, electricity and internet are necessary in order to participate in today’s world. Access to public transport is a matter of social justice as well as answering ecological needs. Young workers call all the delegates to invest on such solidarity financing. This includes that multinational corporations who profit most from the globalized economy need to pay taxes wherever they generate their profit.
International Coordination of the Young Christian Workers (ICYCW)
ICYCW presented a statement in the plenary under the name of “Youth at risk. Now more than ever decent work” in which they expressed concern about the fact that it is assumed that our first job will be precarious simply because we are young and have no work experience. ICYCW understands that in today’s society the priority is on productivity and economic profitability and this context pushes the young people to opt for temporary contracts and under employment. Work is a right and not a favor done to the youth. The youth movement called to the ILO, heads of state and social partners to focus on the continuation of the dialogue between employees, employers, and government; and also, to invest more in public education and training programs.
The discussions in the first part of the 109th session of the ILC cast a bright light on the heavy impacts of the pandemic on the world of labour. There was unanimousness that deficit in decent work like lack of social protection of vulnerable workers, lack of recognition of the relevance of informal economy and undervaluation of for essential services cause tremendous stress for a pandemic ridden work force. The CIO not only identified specific deficits and vulnerabilities for youth, women and migrant workers but also provided lessons learned going together with a clear refusal of labour policies, which maintain the carry on- modus. The need for substantial transformation of an approach to work is the task of the time while appreciating the achievements in the past. We are not helpless if political will is generated and focussed on social justice.
Discussions are not finished; the social dialogue approach is needed more than ever. The phenomena of growing inequalities and the struggle around lifelong skills development and learning are in the agenda of the second part of the ILC (25 November to 11 December).
The statements of the CIOs in their diversity touch on these issues showing that future of societies and the world of work is of unifying power for the grass root- movements and other Catholic-inspired organizations (CIOs) at the ILO willing to fight for decent work and a dignified life for everybody.