Brussels, 25/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The G8 Ministerial conference on employment on 25-27 April in Montreal, which will be chaired by the Canadian Minister for Human Resources Development, Jane Stewart, will focus on life-long learning (see EUROPE 24 April page 10). Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou will be taking part (she'll be calling for more investment in human resources), together with the German Minister for Employment and Labour, Walter Riester, and his Italian counterpart, Roberrto Moroni. The ILO will be represented by Juan Somavia and the OECD, by Donald Johnston.
The Central Staff Committee (CSC) at the OECD will be presenting a declaration in which unions call on the G8 Labour and Employment Ministers to: 1) Put forward an action plan that ensures governments provide suitable funding for life-long training, for which responsibility cannot be left to individuals, and encourages agreements between employers and unions to put into place the material conditions for life-long learning to take place; 2) Elaborate a set of effective social rules for managing globalisation in a way that more fairly shares out the benefits of growth; 3) Present a credible action plan that provides a social dimension to globalisation and creates a link with developing countries by working together on a programme of good governance; 4) Developing co-operation between the WTO and ILO to ensure multi-lateral exchanges are in respect of the fundamental rights of workers and protect the environment; 5) Contribute to providing the New Africa Development Partnership (which will be examined at the G8 Heads of State and Governments Summit on 26-27 June in Kananaskis in Spain) with a section of workers' rights.