Brussels, 18/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - The seventh regional European meeting of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) continued in Budapest on 15 February with a roundtable on whether social issues would survive globalisation, attended by the President of the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, Hungarian prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, the prime minister of Malta Lawrence Gonzi and the prime minister of Kazakhstan Danial Akhmetov. The conference then examined two reports by the Director General of the ILO, Juan Somavia, the first making a general overview of ILO activities in 2001-2004, the second on transitions, governance and decent work (see EUROPE of 9 February p.15, and 16 February p.14 and 17 February, p. 18). The conference continued on 16 February with a ministerial meeting on the continuing work by the Global Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation, co-chaired by Philippe Seguin, President of the ILO's management board, and Juan Somavia, also attended by Commissioner Vladimir Spidla.
What I expect from the conference is for you to help countries and people. And as politicians, we are ready to support your solutions, said Hungarian prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany at the opening session on Tuesday morning. He said that having a job, a roof and health are vital for the man in the street, and said he agreed with the need for more and better paid jobs. Wondering whether worker migration had a great impact on the labour market, if people are prepared to acquire new skills to adapt to changes in work, he admitted that this was a particular dilemma for workers aged 40 and above who find it hard to adapt. He gave the example of Hungary where people will not go further than 50 km to look for work simply because they don't want to move house!
François Périgot says social dialogue is not an alibi - John Monks says social dialogue has to outlive globalisation
After interventions by leading figures (on Jean-Claude Juncker, see EUROPE of 16 February p.14, and on Juan Somavia, see EUROPE of 17 February, p.18), work continued in a roundtable on social dialogue attended by representatives of the social partners, the President of the International Employers' Association (IEA) François Périgot, the Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) John Monks. The question discussed was whether social dialogue would outlive globalisation. But kicking off the debate, Juan Somavia, moderating the session, asked whether globalisation could outlive social dialogue? The former President of the European employers' association UNICE, François Périgot, said social dialogue could not be used as an alibi. There had to be genuine dialogue among responsible persons who have to answer to the people they represent. Against the backdrop of globalisation, Périgot said social dialogue had to be revised. It had to be free, with responsible players capable of agreeing on a contract. He said the great danger was to confuse dialogue willy nilly with all and sundry on the one hand, with social dialogue between social partners who had to take their responsibilities seriously, on the other. John Monks said social dialogue had to outlive globalisation but he felt that social dialogue was in jeopardy. A huge number of employers and some government representatives, he said, believe that the welfare state, for example, is too expensive and the public sector too big. This was the message of the President of the Commission, Mr Barroso, announcing his new document on a New Strategy for Growth and Employment. Monks said that if social dialogue is left on the back burner the way Barroso wants, then the Far Right will reap all the benefits - Europe is in danger.
Vladimir Spidla says decent work, employment and the social dimension of globalisation have to be included in the process of implementing the Millennium Targets
During the informal ministerial meeting to discuss follow up of the report by the UN Global Commission on the Social Dimension (report welcomed by the European Commission when it was unveiled, see EUROPE of 27 May p.14 and 12 June p.15), held on 16 February, European Commissioner Vladimir Spidla said he was planning to step up efforts to cooperate wit the ILO. Spidla highlighted a few areas of convergence between the EU and the ILO, namely the need to establish the conditions for strong, sustainable growth that generated quality jobs and decent work for all. In this connection, the Commissioner hoped all the countries present at the ILO's regional conference would ratify the international labour conventions on fundamental social rights.
Spidla said new balances had to be struck between flexibility and security, by encouraging welfare at work, for example, and investing in life-long training. Europe today must mobilise forces to accompany the changes that are going to shape society and the economy of tomorrow. Its growth might be endangered if there is no reform, and reform cannot succeed without building partnerships for growth and employment, he said. Spidla stressed that the promotion of decent work, an inclusive labour market and social dialogue are the pillars of a fairer and more balanced world order. In this connection, the Commission believes the social dimension of globalisation, employment and the objective of decent work have to be introduced in the right way into the process of implementing the Millennium Targets.