Transcript Engagement of Trade Unions with ECOSOC

International Training Center of the ILO – TURIN
Course A201275 - Crisis and the Global Economy
31 August to 11 September, 2009
Video-Conference Lecture by Gemma Adaba
ITUC Representative to the United Nations, New York
9 September, 2009
General Themes to be
addressed:
• Multilateralism and the United Nations –
Engagement of trade unions with the UN
through the Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC)
• The UN Conference on the World Financial
and Economic Crisis and its Impact on
Development – the Work of the Stiglitz
Commission – ITUC positions and evaluation
– ITUC Statement to the Conference ILO/ECOSOC Cooperation on the Global
Jobs Pact
MULTILATERALISM AND THE UNITED
NATIONS – ENGAGEMENT OF TRADE
UNIONS WITH THE UN THROUGH
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
(ECOSOC)
Multilateralism and the United
Nations
• In our globalized world, systems of finance,
economics and trade are increasingly closely
integrated.
• Oftentimes, they negatively affect our prospects
for decent jobs and decent livelihoods.
• In the current economic and financial crisis,
these negative impacts are very real.
• There exists a multilateral system of institutions
shaping policies on trade, economics, finance,
the environment and climate change, migration,
and labour.
Multilateralism and the United
Nations
• There is need for a strong United Nations at the heart of
this system of multilateralism.
• The United Nations exists to guarantee fundamental
human rights, trade union rights, global social justice,
sustainable development, and human security.
• These fundamental principles are enshrined in the UN
Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and
a solid body of UN and ILO Social Policy, UN
Conventions, and ILO Conventions and Declarations.
• (The ILO has the status of a specialized agency of the
UN).
Engagement of Trade Unions
with the United Nations
• Trade unions have always affirmed the need for the
United Nations at the core of the multilateral system.
• Trade unions have supported reform initiatives aimed at
a fair globalization, with a role for the United Nations in
establishing policy coherence of the economic, financial
and trade systems, in the interests of sustainable
development.
• Trade unions also advocate within the UN for labourfriendly policies such as the Decent Work Agenda, and
for the promotion of the social dimensions of
globalization.
• The predecessor organizations of the ITUC have been
active at the UN since its founding, and now the ITUC
has continued in that role since its creation in 2006.
The United Nations – Structure
and Functions
• The United Nations was founded in 1945, and
currently consists of 192 Member States.
• Representatives of these Member States meet
in the various bodies of the UN.
• These comprise, among others, the General
Assembly (the highest body), the Security
Council, the Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC).
• Representatives of Member States formulate
and coordinate global policies which their
governments should in turn implement at
national level.
The United Nations System Chart
•
• http://www.un.org/es/comun/docs/?path=ht
tp://www.un.org/spanish/aboutun/UNsyste
mchartspanish.pdf
•
Engagement of Trade Unions
with ECOSOC
• The entry point into the UN for trade unions is ECOSOC.
• As its name implies, ECOSOC deals with economic and
social matters.
• Under ECOSOC, you will note the Functional
Commissions, and the Regional Commissions.
• ECLAC, the Economic Commission for Latin America
and the Caribbean, therefore falls under ECOSOC.
• It cooperates with ECOSOC for the formulation,
harmonization, and implementation of policies for Latin
America and the Caribbean.
Engagement of Trade Unions
with ECOSOC
• For civil society organizations and trade
unions, there exists three consultative
status categories with ECOSOC:
• General Consultative Status
• Special Consultative Status
• Roster Status
• The ITUC has General Consultative Status
which is the highest of the three.
Engagement of Trade Unions
with ECOSOC
• With ECOSOC General Consultative Status, the ITUC
can participate in all the meetings of this body.
• The ITUC can attempt to influence ECOSOC policies by
making oral Statements, and disseminating Statements
among government delegations.
• The ITUC can engage in advocacy and lobbying
activities to encourage governments to support trade
union policy positions, to incorporate them in the
outcome documents of the meetings, and to implement
them in policies at national, sub-regional and regional
levels.
Engagement of Trade Unions in the
Functional Commissions of ECOSOC
• At regional level, the work of ECOSOC is carried
out through the Regional Commissions.
• At global level, the work of ECOSOC is carried
out through its Functional Commissions.
• The ITUC participates actively in the following
Functional Commissions of ECOSOC:
• CSD – Commission on Sustainable
Development
• CSW – Commission on the Status of Women
• CSOCD - Commission on Social Development
ITUC work in the Functional
Commissions of ECOSOC – a brief
synopsis
The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
• The policy framework for the Commission on
Sustainable Development (CSD) is set by the
Conclusions and Action Programmes of the major
Conferences on sustainable development:
• Firstly, there was the Rio Conference of 1982 and its
Outcome Document:Agenda 21.
• Then, there was the World Summit on Sustainable
Development WSSD, in Johannesburg in 2002.
• Its Outcome Document was the Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation JPOI.
The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
• In more recent times, the Summits addressing climate
change have increased in importance.
• Within CSD, the ITUC has been advocating for safe,
sustainable workplaces in sustainable communities,
where labour and environmental standards are upheld.
• In addressing climate change, the ITUC has been
advocating for low carbon paths to economic production
and consumption, with a just transition to green and
decent jobs for workers affected by these changes.
• Adequate financing support to developing countries for
adaptation and mitigation in response to climate change,
is also an important trade union demand.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
• The policy framework for the Commission on the Status
of Women (CSW) is set by the UN 4th World Women’s
Conference held in Beijing in 1995, and the Beijing
Platform for Action (BPfA).
• The main focus of the upcoming 54th Session of CSW in
March 2010 will be a 15-year review of progress and
pitfalls on the road to gender equality since Beijing.
• Trade unions have been very active, focusing on Section
F of the BPfA, “Women in the Global Economy”.
• Most recently, trade unions have been promoting a
gender dimension to the decent work agenda, within the
CSW.
• The Commission on Social Development (CSocD)
• The policy framework for the Commission on Social
Development (CSOCD) is set by the Copenhagen
Summit on Social Development in 1995.
• Trade unions have been active, promoting full
employment and decent work within this platform.
• Notable successes include the 2006 ECOSOC
Ministerial Declaration on Full and Productive
Employment and Decent Work, and the 2008 CSOCD
Resolution on the same subject.
• Worthy of note, also, is the 2008 decision to incorporate
decent work as a sub-target under MDG 1 on poverty
eradication
THE UN CONFERENCE ON THE WORLD
FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS
AND ITS IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT –
THE WORK OF THE STIGLITZ
COMMISSION – ITUC POSITIONS AND
EVALUATION – ITUC STATEMENT TO
THE CONFERENCE - ILO/ECOSOC
COOPERATION ON THE GLOBAL JOBS
PACT
The UN Conference on the World Financial and
Economic Crisis, and its Impact on
Development, New York, 24 to 26 June, 2009
• The international community has been very
engaged in formulating policy responses to the
global crisis.
• Notably, this is the case within the G20.
• At the level of the UN also, (the General
Assembly and ECOSOC), there has been a
major focus on responding to the crisis.
• Global unions have been very active on both
fronts, the G20 and the UN.
• This presentation addresses trade union
responses at the level of the UN.
The UN Conference on the World
Financial and Economic Crisis
• A UN Conference on the World Financial and
Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development
was held from 24 to 26 June, 2009.
• What was important about this Conference was
its strong emphasis on the severe impacts of the
crisis on developing countries in terms of
exacerbating hunger, poverty, unemployment,
and undermining the chances to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
• The Conference stressed the importance of
finding lasting solutions to the development
challenges posed by the crisis.
The preparatory Process for the UN
Conference
on the World Financial and Economic Crisis
• The preparatory process was led by the President of the
63rd Session of the General Assembly, Father Miguel
D’Escoto Brockman.
• D’Escoto appointed a Commission of Experts, chaired by
Professor Joseph Stiglitz, to prepare recommendations
for review and eventual adoption by the Conference.
• A hall mark of the approach of D’Escoto was his
insistence on the need for an inclusive, democratic
process involving all member states, the G192 as he
called this Forum.
• D’Escoto highlighted the need for adequate policy space
and voice for the G77 Group of developing countries.
The preparatory Process for the UN
Conference
on the World Financial and Economic Crisis
• Trade unions made inputs into the work of
the Stiglitz Commission
• Trade unions supported many of the
recommendations of the final Report.
• This final Report went to member states
for their deliberations in preparing an
Outcome Document of the Conference.
Trade unions and the work of the
Stiglitz Commission
• Notably, trade unions supported the
recommendations of the Stiglitz Commission
Report which proposed:
• Dedicating 1% of the stimulus packages of rich
countries to low income countries over and
above Official Development Assistance (ODA)
commitments.
• Ensuring adequate financial support would give
to developing countries the required fiscal space
to ease the social impacts of the crisis on the
poorest populations.
• It would also help to stimulate the economy.
Trade unions and the work of the
Stiglitz Commission
• Sources of financing for stimulus
packages to developing countries should
be concessionary in nature.
• They should rely on ODA and other grant
arrangements as much as possible, rather
than on debt-creating loans of the IMF.
• Every effort should be made to avoid a
new debt crisis.
The Need for Systemic reforms
• The Stiglitz Commission Report makes the point
that financing through stimulus packages is not
enough.
• Systemic reforms are needed to ensure that the
global economy stays out of crisis in a
sustainable way in the future.
• As part of systemic reforms, debt work-out
mechanisms and debt standstills should be
considered to assist countries in dealing with
huge debt burdens.
The Need for Systemic reforms
• Augmenting liquidity through regional
cooperation arrangements that make use
of accumulated regional reserves and
Sovereign Wealth Funds should be
explored.
• Issuing IMF Special Drawing Rights
(SDRs) through special programmes that
make them accessible for development
financing should be explored
The Need for Systemic reforms
• Corrective actions are needed to remove
harmful conditionalities attached to IFI support.
• Corrective actions are needed to create policy
space for developing countries.
• Adjustments must be found for those trade and
investment agreements that hamper the
implementation of counter-cyclical policies
• Adjustments must be found for agreements
made regarding capital market deregulation and
liberalisation, if theses are making it difficult to
implement countercyclical policies.
The Need for Systemic reforms
• Reform of the International Financial
Institutions (IFIs)must be linked to longer
term systemic reforms within a new
financial and development architecture
• Such a new architecture must effectively
regulate the financial sector, and ensure
that it carries out its real function, namely
to serve the interests of the productive
economy and sustainable development.
Trade Union Demands on
Systemic Reform
• In addition, trade unions have recommended
that stimulus packages and countercyclical
measures focus on redistributive justice.
• An effective means of achieving redistributive
justice is implementing the decent work agenda,
focusing on employment creation, promoting
collective bargaining and other fundamental
rights at work, social protection, and social
dialogue.
Institutional Reforms
• The Stiglitz Commission has recommended the
placing social priorities at the centre of
international governance with the setting up of a
Global Economic Council (GEC).
• The GEC would help to forge a new global
consensus on sustainable development policies
• The Commission further recommended that
Working Groups be set up by the Conference to
follow-up on the many recommendations of the
Report.
Trade Union Proposals on
Institutional Reforms
• Trade unions have recommended that
consultative arrangements be put in place within
the Working Groups to ensure the continuing
engagement of trade unions and other
representative civil society organisations in
follow-up.
• Trade unions wish to stay engaged in
implementation of measures for effective
governance of the global economy, restored
global growth and shared prosperity for all.
Outcomes of the UN Conference on the World
Financial and Economic CrisisITUC Evaluation
• The Outcome Document was adopted by the
Conference on 26 June, 2009, and endorsed by the
General assembly on 9 July, 2009. It is contained as an
Annex to the General Assembly Resolution
A/RES/63/303.
• In evaluating the Outcome Document, the ITUC noted
that at the analytical level, Member States seemed to
agree on the root causes of the crisis, the severe human
costs and negative developmental impacts.
• However, in terms of solutions proposed, it falls short of
some of the key recommendations of the Stiglitz
Commission Report, which trade unions were
supporting.
Outcomes of the UN Conference
– ITUC Evaluation
• The Outcome Document does not provide a clear roadmap for achieving the necessary reforms
• It does not include clear commitments and mechanisms
for mobilizing adequate levels of development finance.
• It commits to working within the existing Debt
Sustainability Framework, even though this has proved
inadequate.
• It does not agree to providing SDRs for development
financing, nor the proposed 1% of the stimulus packages
of rich countries to low income countries
Outcomes of the UN Conference
– ITUC Evaluation
• The Outcome Document does not agree to the
establishment of the GEC.
• In short, many of the all pro-development
recommendations that were supported by the G77
Group of developing countries, but were opposed by the
industrialized countries, were not adopted.
• In that sense, the Outcome Document reflects a
compromise between these two groups of countries.
• Trade unions have taken the position that this is a
compromise we must live with, while seeking ways to
strengthen the follow-up process in the future.
Positive elements of the Outcome Document of
the UN Conference on the World Financial and
Economic Crisis
• Member States have agreed, however, to explore and
consider a number of solutions within an Ad Hoc
Working Group to be set up by the General Assembly.
• The Outcome Document does place strong emphasis on
the human costs of the crisis, (para 11), and on the need
to link short-term measures to longer term goals.
• Longer term goals should, prioritize “poverty eradication;
sustainable development, …environmental protection,
clean and renewable energy; food security; gender
equality; health; education; and sustained economic
growth, including full and productive employment and
decent work for all.”
Positive elements of the Outcome
Document of the UN Conference
• The Outcome Document emphasizes the importance of
“Strengthening of existing social safety nets [and]
establishing new ones where needed, and protecting
social expenditures.” (para 21).
• Recognition in the Document of the need for a gender
perspective in all responses to the crisis is welcome,
(para 10), as well as the recognition that women are
facing “greater income insecurity and increased burdens
of family care.”(para 3).
• Highlighting the need for green pathways and jobintensive approaches to recovery are positive, and
inclusion of the ILO Global Jobs Pact (GJP)as a central
component of policy responses is most welcome (paras
11 and 58).
ILO/ECOSOC Cooperation on the
Global Jobs Pact
• It is to be welcomed that the Conference
Outcome Document invites ECOSOC to work
collaboratively with the ILO in the
implementation of the Global Jobs Pact.
• As a follow-up to this, the ECOSOC substantive
meeting in Geneva (July 2009) adopted
Resolution E/2009/L.24 on “Recovering from the
Crisis: a Global Jobs Pact”.
• The adoption of this Resolution represents a
significant step in terms of the UN's recognition
of the Global Jobs Pact as central to policy
responses to the global crisis.
Trade Unions staying engaged
• In the immediate future, trade unions need to
stay engaged in these follow-up processes.
• Trade unions will need to monitor how ECOSOC
gives effect to the Resolution on the GJP,
including through the Regional Commissions
such as ECLAC.
• Trade unions will need to ensure consultative
rights with the new Ad Hoc Working Group of the
General Assembly which will follow up on the
Recommendations of the Outcome Document of
the Conference on the crisis and its impact on
development.