Participation in the 105th Session of the International Labour Conference

The Macao delegation, consisting of Mr. Wang Sai Man, representative of the employers organizations, Mr. Leong Sun Iok, representative of the employees organizations in the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs, and Ms. Ng Wai Han, Head of the Labour Inspection Department of the Labour Affairs Bureau, attended the 105th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, from 4th to 11th June 2016. The Macao delegation was integrated in the delegation of China as advisory member. The key issues of the conference were:
1. Decent work in global supply chains
2. Decent work for peace, security and disaster resilience
3. Evaluation of the impact of the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization, 2008
4. Approval of the amendments to the Code of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, and amendments to the annexes of the Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003

1. Decent work in global supply chains – General discussion
The conclusions point out that governments should strengthen labour administration and labour inspection systems, actively promote social dialogue and fundamental principles and rights at work, create an enabling business environment, stimulate corporate transparency, fight corruption by protection of whistle-blowers, implement measures to improve working conditions for all workers, including in global supply chains, and so forth. Social partners should jointly promote decent work and ensure fundamental rights and principles at work for all workers, including migrant workers, through sectoral initiatives, collective agreements, cross-border social dialogue and international framework agreements. Employers’ organizations should strengthen operational management systems while workers’ organizations should provide information and support to workers, in particular regarding the respect of workers’ rights and improvements in working conditions.

2. Decent work for peace, security and disaster resilience: Revision of the Employment (Transition from War to Peace) Recommendation, 1944 (No. 71) – Standard setting, first discussion under the double discussion procedure
The International Labour Conference should adopt an instrument concerning employment and decent work for peace and resilience that revises and replaces the Employment (Transition from War to Peace) Recommendation, 1944 (No. 71). The proposed instrument should take the form of a Recommendation.
The proposed instrument should refer to: the principle in the Constitution of the International Labour Organization that universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice; the impact of conflicts and disasters on poverty, human rights and dignity, development, decent work and sustainable enterprises; the importance of the Decent Work Agenda for promoting peace, preventing crisis situations arising from conflicts and disasters; the need to recognize that crises impact women and men differently; the importance of developing adequate responses to crisis situations through consultation with the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as civil society organizations; the creation or re-establishment of an enabling environment for sustainable enterprises; and the strengthening of social protection measures.

3. Evaluation of the impact of the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization, 2008
In unanimously adopting the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization (the Social Justice Declaration) in 2008, the International Labour Organization and its Members confirmed their commitment to implement the ILO’s constitutional mandate and to place employment and decent work at the centre of economic and social policies.
“Employment”, “social protection”, “social dialogue and tripartism”, and “fundamental principles and rights at works” were confirmed as the four basic objectives, together with gender equality and non-discrimination as cross-cutting issues.
Finally, the Conference decided that the action outlined in the present resolution will form an integral part of the next evaluation of the impact of the Social Justice Declaration to be undertaken by the Conference.

4. The International Labour Conference also resolved to approve the amendments to the Code of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, and to adopt the amendments to the annexes of the Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003 (No.185)
The above is a summary of the 105th Session of the International Labour Conference.

                                             Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs