ILO warns of the risk of a jeopardized recovery

ILO Director-General in his annual report at the International Labour Conference warns that pressure from financial markets can jeopardize recovery: domestic workers, HIV/AIDS, employment and rights at work all on the Conference agenda.

GENEVA: Opening the 99th International Labour Conference on June 2, which will last till June 18, Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General, warned in his annual report that, "in response to pressure from financial markets, many countries are being pushed into stringent fiscal policies that jeopardize recovery, making it less likely that investments, growth, employment and wages will pick up in the short run or that tax revenues will recover any time soon." Somavia's opening speech called for a "balanced" response to address debt crisis and promote jobs recovery.

This year ILC agenda includes the quadrennial global report on child labour, international labour standards, and four technical items: a discussion on decent work for domestic workers; an autonomous recommendation on HIV/AIDS in the world of work; a discussion on the strategic objectives of employment; and a review of follow-up to the 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

A detailed Conference agenda is published on the ILO website here http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_123401.pdf

Report of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations is available on the ILO website here http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_123424.pdf