Full productive decent work by 2015

International Labour Organisation (ILO) targets to achieve full productive decent work by 2015 so that one billion people in Asia Pacific will enjoy decent work said Director, ILO Colombo Tina Staermose.

She said that one million workers die every year due to work related accidents and disasters while 120 million across Asia work as child labourers.

Decent work is more than just a job ie it feeds families, gives safety and protection, equality, a safe and healthy working environment as well as protecting the vulnerable from being exploited. Staremose said that in the wake of the global crisis, the world of work is at centre stage and the 90 year agenda of ILO is more than relevant at present as the tripartite working strategy of ILO is more relevant to solve the crises of today.

Work unites all people across the globe and therefore decent work was adopted by ILO in 1999.

Human face

She said that decent work is all about people as it puts a human face to work.

At present there are 70 Decent Work Country Programs (DWCP). In Sri Lanka too in class D and below road networks use labour instead of machines as this helps to give employment.

The national program on decent work action plan and road map is completed. Sri Lanka has allocated Rs. 50 million last year had Rs. 45 million this year for the DWCP said Secretary, Ministry of Labour Mahinda Madihahewa.

He said that Government has identified decent work policy as the way for social development and to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. Sri Lanka has ratified 40 conventions out of the 184 conventions of ILO.

`Decent work is universal', is a moving target and recognises that poverty is more than lack of money.

She said that bipartism shows the maturity of social dialogue but in many countries the parties cannot sit together without the government mediation.

Also there are many countries where there are barriers to joining trade unions.

Women participation in social dialogue is very low and it is the lowest in Asia, and stands at 2-3 per cent.

Equity

Director General, Employers Federation Ravi Peiris said that balancing efficiency with equity in the world of work is decent work and not implementing the DWCP is a fault of the social partners and not of the ILO.

He said that though there are tremendous pressures faced by the employers there are many employers who honour the collective bargaining and freedom of association, eg in the plantation sector.