| | | | | estimates the relationship between decent work and |
| *Dr.Shanmukha Rao Padala **Dr.N.V.S.Suryanarayana | | | | human development by means of a regression |
| Decent work refers to | | | | analysis. From the quantitative statistical analysis of |
| opportunities for women and men to obtain work in | | | | data for a balanced mix of developing, industrialized |
| conditions of freedom, equity, security and human | | | | and transition countries, it is also clear that pursuit of |
| dignity. According to the ILO, decent work agenda is | | | | that objective can contribute simultaneously to |
| the balanced and integrated programmatic approach | | | | human development and to economic growth. The |
| to pursue the objectives of full and productive | | | | analysis makes it equally clear that high level of |
| employment and decent work for all at global, | | | | decent work can be achieved without high incomes |
| regional, national, secretarial and local levels. It has | | | | and that high incomes do not guarantee high levels of |
| four pillars: standards and rights at work, employment | | | | decent work. Although the relative performance of a |
| creation and enterprise development, social protection | | | | country is sensitive to the type of index used to |
| and social dialogue. October 7, 2008 is set to be the | | | | measure decent work, several European Countries |
| World Day for Decent Work. During that day trade | | | | rank high irrespective of the index used- presumably |
| unions, union federations and other workers | | | | because of the sound and balanced social policies |
| associations develop their actions to promote the | | | | they pursue. |
| idea of decent work. Actions vary from street | | | | |
| demonstrations to music events or conferences held | | | | Challenges: |
| in many countries. | | | | The Decent Work agenda requires |
| Promoting decent and productive | | | | national and international actors to commit to the |
| employment adequate income should be generated, | | | | objective of creating quality jobs globally and to |
| adequate social protection should be provided and | | | | pursue cooperative solutions to this challenge. |
| participation in the democratic process and sharing in | | | | However, governments struggle to convince their |
| responsibilities should be guaranteed through | | | | publics that development and job creation abroad is |
| tripartism and social dialogue. It also means that we | | | | imperative to prosperity and employment at home. |
| will strive to provide sufficient employment, where all | | | | Some governments also face the temptation to |
| workers could have full access to income-earning | | | | close markets and lower labour standards to remain |
| opportunities, as the constant objective of reforms. | | | | competitive in a global economy that is blamed for |
| This concept marks a high road to economic and | | | | depressing wages and working conditions. |
| social development because it enables employment, | | | | Various actors can have an impact |
| income and social protection to be achieved without | | | | on the provision of decent work, although existing |
| compromising workers' rights and social standards. | | | | conditions and incentives do not always lend |
| The concept of ‘decent work' | | | | themselves to advancing the decent work agenda. |
| was launched in 1999, in terms of employment, social | | | | To illustrate: |
| protection, workers' rights and social dialogue, in the | | | | - National governments create decent work through |
| report of the Director-General to the International | | | | economic and industrial policies. However, the forces |
| Conference meeting in its 87th session and the | | | | of globalization-such as downward pressures on |
| primary goal of the ILO today is to promote | | | | wages and reduced macroeconomic policy flexibility- |
| opportunities for women and men to obtain decent | | | | have diminished the ability of national governments to |
| and productive work, in conditions of freedom, | | | | achieve this goal on their own. |
| equality, security and human dignity. | | | | - Business create jobs from the local to international |
| According to the International | | | | levels, and those operating across borders can affect |
| Labour Organisation, Decent work involves | | | | international wages and working conditions. |
| opportunities for work that is protective and delivers | | | | Multinational enterprises typically locate operations in |
| a fair income, security in the workplace and social | | | | countries where wages are at their lowest and so |
| protection for families, better prospects for personal | | | | called ‘worker's right' are less prominent. This is |
| development and social integration freedom for | | | | antithetical to the decent work agenda, although it |
| people to express their concerns, organize and | | | | does contribute to economic development. |
| participate in the decisions that affect their lives and | | | | - Trade unions assist employees in advocating for |
| equality of opportunity and treatment for all women | | | | elements of decent work, from a so-called ‘living |
| and men. | | | | wage' to health insurance to workplace safety |
| | | | | standards. Trade unions face the challenge of |
| Dimensions of Decent Work: | | | | meeting their members' immediate needs at home |
| Four components of the notion | | | | while supporting job creation and ‘workers' rights' |
| are elaborated in Report of the Director-General of | | | | around the globe. |
| the 87th Session of International Labour Conference: | | | | - International financial institutions provide loans or |
| employment, Social Protection, workers' rights and | | | | other assistance to national governments, and require |
| social dialogue. Employment here covers work of all | | | | loan recipients to implement certain policy measures. |
| kinds and has both quantative and qualitative | | | | Existing programs generally exclude employment |
| dimensions. Social protection is essential component- | | | | targets and have even been known to have a |
| defined according to each society's capacity and level | | | | negative impact on job creation in the short term, as |
| of development. The fundamental rights of workers | | | | jobs which exist only through government market |
| like freedom of association, non-discrimination at | | | | distortions are replaced with economically viable |
| work, and the absence of forced labour and child | | | | employment. |
| labour. Social dialogues, in which workers exercise | | | | - Trade negotiators can forward the decent work |
| their right to present their views, defend their | | | | agenda globally by including labour standards in trade |
| interests and engage in discussions to negotiate | | | | agreements, while legislators can support their |
| work-related matters with employers and authorities. | | | | implementation. However, many countries view the |
| According to Richard Anker et.all, | | | | campaign for labour standards as an effort by other |
| suggested the dimensions of decent work is: | | | | countries to make their own industries more |
| opportunities for work, work in conditions of | | | | competitive. |
| freedom, productive work, equity in work, security | | | | |
| at work and dignity at work. The first two | | | | Decent Work and Decent Life Campaign: |
| dimensions of decent work- opportunities for work | | | | Five organizations, Solidar, ITUC, |
| and freedom of choice of employment-are | | | | ETUC, Social Alert International and the Global |
| concerned with the availability and basic acceptability | | | | Progressive Forum launched the Decent work, |
| of work. The other four dimensions are concerned | | | | Decent life campaign at World Social Forum in Nairobi |
| with the extent to which available and freely | | | | in January 2007 and has since the worked in an |
| accepted work is ‘decent'. | | | | alliance to promote decent work for decent life as |
| David Bescond et.all proposed | | | | solution to poverty. The idea to run a campaign on |
| seven indicators are slightly redefined and reset | | | | decent work was conceived at world social forum, |
| within a more concise framework. What the | | | | 2005 in Porto Alegre. The campaign targets young |
| proposed indicators measure are in effect | | | | people, trade union activists, NGOs and decision |
| ‘decent work deficits', namely low hourly pay, | | | | makers in developed and developing countries. The |
| excessive hours of work for economic or involuntary | | | | campaign's objectives focus on building awareness of |
| reasons, national unemployment, children not at | | | | decent work and on promoting decent work as the |
| school, youth unemployment, the male-female gap in | | | | only sustainable way out of poverty, democracy and |
| labour force participation, and old age without | | | | social cohesion. |
| pension. | | | | The decent work, decent life for |
| According to Florence Bonnet et.all, | | | | women campaign is a two years campaign launched |
| three types of indicators were sought: 1. | | | | on International Women's Day 2008 (March, 8) by |
| Input indicators- national and international instruments | | | | the International Trade Union confederation (ITUC) |
| and rules to protect workers. 2. Process | | | | and the Global Union Federations (GUF). The |
| indicators- mechanisms or resources through which | | | | campaign aims to adequate decent work for women |
| legislated principles and rules are realized. 3. Outcome | | | | and gender equality in labour polices and agreements |
| indicators- showing whether or not the inputs and | | | | and to seek gender equality in trade union structures, |
| processes are effective in ensuring worker | | | | polices and activities. The second objective aims at |
| protection. | | | | increasing number of women members in trade |
| Gary S. Fields describe that there | | | | unions and women in elected positions. The |
| is three elements are essential to the achievement of | | | | campaign's necessity stems from multiple forms of |
| decent work objectives: the need for jobs, the | | | | discrimination in both policy and practice on daily basis |
| honouring of core labour standards and the pursuit of | | | | women are facing such as the gender pay gap, the |
| further improvements in job quality, because beyond | | | | lack of maternity protection and the higher |
| some point the achievement of one of these | | | | unemployment rates among women. |
| objectives may come at the expensive of another. | | | | |
| The eleven indicators suggested | | | | Decent Work and Poverty Reduction: |
| for measuring decent work are: employment | | | | Catherine Saget is to explore the |
| opportunities, unacceptable work, adequate earnings | | | | effects of changes in the minimum wage level on |
| and productive work, decent hours, stability and | | | | employment and poverty in developing countries. The |
| security of work, balancing work and family life, fair | | | | underlying policy objective is to find more appropriate |
| treatment in employment, safe work environment, | | | | tools to integrate the agenda of poverty reduction |
| social protection, social dialogue and workplace | | | | and decent work. He concluded that, the study data |
| relations and economic and social context of decent | | | | gives strong support to the idea that the minimum |
| work. | | | | wage may bring positive results in poverty alleviation |
| | | | | by improving the living conditions of workers and |
| Decent Work and Human Development: | | | | their families, while having no negative effects in |
| Iftikhar Ahmed examines the | | | | terms of employment. There is no evidence either of |
| quantitative relationship between decent work and | | | | any effect of the ratio of minimum to average |
| human development, on the one hand, and decent | | | | wages on the size of the informal economy. |
| work and economic growth, on the other. It is | | | | |