Guyana should participate actively at upcoming ILO confab

Jun 05, 2024 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – Guyana has been a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 1966 and will attend, and should participate actively at the international Labour Conference with the recognised tripartite delegation. The 112th Session of the International Labour Conference is scheduled from 3 to 14 June 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The International Labour Conference is the ILO’s highest decision-making body. It meets annually in June, bringing together recognised tripartite delegations from the organisation’s 187 Member States, consisting of Governments, Employers’ and Workers’ delegates who participate, and vote independently.

The ILO is a United Nations Agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is one of the first and oldest specialised agencies of the UN with 187 member states. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with around 40 field offices around the world.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that labour peace is essential to prosperity, and in keeping with its mission to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues. Four pillars of international Labour Organization are promoting jobs and enterprise, guaranteeing rights at work, extending social protection, and promoting social dialogue in context of ILO Decent Work Agenda, with gender as a cross-cutting theme of a) Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; b) The elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; c) The effective abolition of child labour; and d) The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace. The agenda items for the 2024 Conference are discussion, consideration, and approval of: –

1. Reports of the Chairperson of the Governing Body and of the Director-General
2. Programme and Budget and other related questions

III. Information and reports on the application of Conventions and Recommendations by member states

1. Protection against biological hazards (standard-setting, first discussion)
2. A recurrent discussion on the strategic objective of fundamental principles and rights at work
3. General Discussion on Decent work and the care economy

In June 1998, the International Labour Conference (ILC) adopted the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up, as an expression of commitment to uphold basic values that are embodied in eight fundamental ILO Conventions: – No. 29 – Forced Labour, 1930; No. 87 – Freedom of Association and Protection  of  the Right to Organize, 1948; No. 98 – Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining, 1948; No. 100 – Equal Remuneration, 195; No. 105 – Abolition of Forced Labour, 1957; No. 111 – Discrimination (Employment and Occupation), 1958; No. 138 – Minimum Age, 1973; and No. 182 Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999

The Declaration places an obligation on all member States, even if they have not ratified these Conventions, to respect “in good faith and in accordance with the Constitution, the principles concerning the fundamental rights, which are the subject of these Conventions”. States that have not ratified the core Conventions are requested also to submit annual reports on the progress made in implementing the principles of these core Conventions which establish a “social minimum at the global level.” The Declaration stresses that “labour standards should not be used for protectionist trade purposes”.

The Guyana delegation is required to be well prepared to represent this country and contribute meaningful in the debates and discussions. There are also simultaneously specialised consultative meetings of Government, Employers and Trade Unions delegations, and negotiations among them on critical issues before the Conference. The Employers’ and Trade Unions’ delegations are usually assisted in technical issues by the International Employers’ Organization, International Workers’ bodies within the ILO respectively.

The Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry Ltd. (CAGI) has been the recognised Employers’ Organization by the ILO on all tripartite matters relating to International Labour Conventions (which are international Treaties registered with this UN Organisaton) and Recommendations, international labour surveys, responding to the ILO on labour issues, and promoting the decent work agenda of the ILO.CAGI is a member of the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation and the International Employers’ Organization based in the ILO.

CAGI has a wide range of members drawn from the major private companies based in Guyana and which are companies affiliated to the Chambers of Commerce, the Manufacturers Association, Tourism and Hotel Association etc. Furthermore, CAGI has membership from Public Corporations, Shipping and the banking sectors. CAGI is a founding member of the Private Sector Commission of Guyana and maintains membership in the Private Sector Commission. It is the specialised organization of employers on International Labour Conventions, labour and Human Resource matters, official ILO correspondent of employers.

Yours Sincerely,

Samuel J. Goolsarran

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• confab, Geneva, International Labour Organization, Letters, Samuel J. Goolsarran

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