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The Macao delegation consisting of Mr. Wong Chi Hong, Coordinator of the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs (“CPCS”) and Director of the Labour Affairs Bureau, Ms. Chan Weng Chi, Department Head of the Bureau, Mr. Vong Kok Seng and Mr. Wong Yeuk Lai Alan, representatives of the employers’ organizations of the CPCS, and Mr. Fong Ka Fai and Mr. Choi Kam Fu, representatives of the employees’ organizations of the CPCS, as advisory members of the delegation of China, attended the 112th session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland from 8th to 16th June 2024.
The key topics of the Conference included:
- Protection against biological hazards (standard-setting, first discussion);
- A recurrent discussion on the strategic objective of fundamental principles and rights at work;
- Decent work and the care economy (general discussion);
- Abrogation of International Labour Conventions Nos. 45, 62, 63 and 85.
I. Protection against biological hazards
After the discussions during the Conference, the Committee for that topic reached a consensus to include an item entitled “Biological hazards in the working environment” in the agenda of the next session with a view to the adoption of a new convention and/or recommendation, which will be the first international labour standard to be adopted since the access to a safe and healthy working environment was elevated to be included in Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
II. Decent work and the care economy
After discussion, the Committee for that topic came to a conclusion to provide a common understanding of the care economy, its guiding principles and actors, and to affirm that labour in the care economy is not a commodity and all care workers should enjoy decent work; a well-functioning and robust care economy plays a critical role in building crisis resilience as well as leading to social and economic development.
In addition, the delegation of China also delivered speeches in the Conference. Mr. Yu Jiadong, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security indicated during his speech that the Chinese government has adhered to the people-centred development approach to promote the policy initiatives for high-quality and full employment; he also proposed the adherence to the people-based approach, innovative labour governance model, promotion of open and inclusive cooperation, among others. Meanwhile, Mr. Wei Dichun, Vice Chairman and Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, as a representative of trade unions in China, was successfully elected as a Regular Member of the ILO’s Governing Body.
The above is a summary of the 112th session of the International Labour Conference.
Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs |
