G20 called to implement commitment to jobs
SEOUL (ILO News): Amidst widespread concern about the slow recovery
in employment, International Labour Director General Juan Somavia
Organization (ILO), urged the G20 Leaders to implement their commitment
to the central role of social protection and decent work in global
recovery.
The G20 Leaders Declaration states that we are determined to put jobs
at the heart of the recovery and to provide social protection and decent
work and also to ensure accelerated growth in low income countries.
Worldwide concern over jobs deficits has helped focus Leaders minds
on coordinated action to bolster recovery. The Seoul Summit confirmed
that creating quality jobs must be at the heart of global economic
recovery. I urge the G20 to implement this commitment and pledge the
ILOs full cooperation, Somavia, who participated in the Summit said.
Rebalancing the global economy so that growth is both strong and
sustainable requires more than adjustments to currencies and financial
regimes. Investing in social protection and quality jobs will encourage
entrepreneurship and investment in the real economy and get sustainable
growth moving, he said.
He drew attention to the shared growth championed by the G20 Seoul
Summit, adding this approach spreads the benefits of growth within
countries and narrows the gap between developing and higher income
countries. He added, ensuring that wages move ahead in line with
productivity is essential to sustainable growth.
The ILO Director-General highlighted the importance of the Seoul
Development Consensus for Shared Growth adopted by the G20 Leaders. I
particularly welcome the G20 approach to development centred on
investment, jobs and social protection,
Mr Somavia said. The recognition that social protection is an
investment in higher productivity and resilient growth is encouraging,
he added.
Somavia noted that the ILOs Decent Work Agenda and Global Jobs Pact
were increasingly entering the mainstream of the G20s approach to
balanced growth and development.
In a deepening of their Framework for Strong, Sustainable and
Balanced Growth, Leaders adopted the Seoul Action Plan on cooperative
and country-specific policy actions.
The ILO is called upon to continue to provide its expertise to the
G20-led review of country commitments and progress under the Framework.
In this respect, Leaders called for continued close collaboration
between the IMF and the ILO.
The ILO is also requested to contribute to a multi-year development
action plan spanning nine pillars of growth, ranging from private
investment and trade to job creation, skills development, social
protection and food security.
The G20 Leaders considered a joint OECD, ILO, World Bank and WTO
report calling for a coherent approach to trade and employment policies.
The G20 Leaders Declaration in Seoul acknowledged contributions from
the Business Summit on private sector-led growth and job creation.
Leaders also decided to increase consultations with the wider
international community, including trade unions.
Somavia drew attention to the effective efforts by trade union
leaders on the eve of the Summit in pressing the G20 on the importance
of acting to accelerate recovery in employment.
They were attending a conference in Seoul organized by the
International Trade Union Confederation, the Trade Union Advisory
Council to the OECD, Global Unions and their Korean affiliates. |