1. Changing world of work, Decent Work and the challenges for Trade Unions in Asia
Arun Kumar

2. How is it changing the world of work?
Globalization
How is it changing the world of work?
Participants views…
Picture Source: Kate Raworth, Oxfam presentation on Trade & Human Development,

3. Some features of current development model
Shift from development cooperation to free trade - Open markets for trade, investment & capital flows;
Withdrawal of ‘State’ from its economic & regulatory role;
(markets Know the best, will self regulate )
More competition between Unequals - High income countries have more than 80% of the world incomes, receive more than 3/4th of the foreign investment and 3/4th of the world trade is between them.
Equality of “access” equality of “opportunity”
unequal capabilities  unequal outcomes
Redistribution of income towards the rich (privatization, tax policies, technology, Financialization, etc)

4. Consequences for the world of work
Labour flexibility & changing nature of employment relationships – precarious work for youth & women
Implications of flexibilization for workers rights (right to organize, union formation, collective bargaining, social security, skills acquisition, safe work, labour laws)
_________________
Changing pressures on employers & ‘new’ decision makers (HRM, Financialization, Private Equity )

5. Global Economic Crisis – root causes
Result of ‘markets know the best’ philosophy – Financialization of the economy, speculation & greed
Widening Inequalities – between K & L, between countries, between regions
Wages lag behind productivity declining share of wages in value added & GDP debt financed consumption
Consequences of inadequate or lack of social protection on growth & recovery
Export dependence of Asian Countries

6. So, what has been the response to Crisis?
Rescue Banks & financial sector
Stimulus packages
Easy money policy to promote credit, investments and economic activity
Has it worked?
Public debt crisis
Economic Crisis
Financial crisis
To be paid for by workers, retirees & people in general

7. ILO’s Response

8. GJP is not just about creating more jobs!
It’s a framework for Decent Work led policies aimed at economic recovery with job creation and provision of social protection to workers & their families at its core;
Among other things, recommends use of wage policy tools, social protection and respect for workers rights to boost wage share and domestic demand

9. So, what is Decent Work? Work that is productive, gives fair income,
security in the workplace & social protection for the family,
equal opportunities & treatment,
better prospects for - personal devt & social integration,
freedom to organize & participate in decision making
concept of decent work encompasses both
individual and collective dimensions (C 87 & 98)

10. Decent Work to be achieved thru actions on 4 pillars …
productive employment &
sustainable enterprises
Standards &
basic rights at work
social protection/
social security for all
Promotion of Social dialogue,
including Collective bargaining
[+ Gender Mainstreaming]
UNIVERSALITY & INTERDEPENDENCE:
the objectives to be promoted by all & are “inseparable, interrelated and mutually supportive” (SJD, 2008)

11. Decent Work: nationally defined goal thru tripartite dialogue, based on national context & needs
No Ceiling,
Perpetual progress
Relative &
multiple paths
A universal social floor
All who work have basic rights at work: freedom from oppression and discrimination, freedom of association, the right of children to learn and develop rather than work, freedom of choice in work
But it is relative
Everybody, everywhere, has a sense of what decent work means in terms of their own lives, and in relation to their own society.
The full realisation of universally accepted principles requires time and will very much depend upon national conditions and policies.
There is no ceiling
The realisation of decent work is in perpetual movement,. The threshold of what is sees as “decent” advances with economic and social progress, and reflects the priorities which each society sets.
Social Floor - basic rights at work 11

12. How many Asian countries have ratified C 87 & C 98?
Pre-conditions for Decent Work: Fundamental Rights at Work principle: All those who work, have rights at work!
How many Asian countries have ratified C 87 & C 98? 12

13. So, what are the main DW concerns for women?
Decent work: mainstreaming gender
A gender perspective is a matter of human right
- helps to
Analyse economic and social roles
Identify forces leading to inequality
Address “de-jure” and “de-facto” discrimination
Promotes efficiency & inclusive policies
So, what are the main DW concerns for women?

14. So, what is the current situation in Asia-Pacific - home to about 2/3rds of global workforce
Employment?
Wages and collective bargaining?
Social Protection?
Labour standards & workers rights?
Women workers work & lives?

15. Growth not generating adequate employment [2001-2008]
Source: Report of the DG 15th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting, ILO, 2011
Over 213 m jobs needed between 2010 & 2020 to keep pace with labour force growth - in addition to jobs for the 94 m currently unemployed people.

16. Wages lag behind productivity 2000 - 2009
Average growth in output per worker in Asia: 4.1% p.a., much higher than in the rest of the world (0.4%) [East Asia: averaged 8.3% p.a., followed by South Asia at 3.9% & South-East Asia at 3.0%].
BUT average real wages grew by only 1.9% per year
 decline in labour’s share of national income, contributing to rising inequality & restricted domestic markets.
Gender pay gap - women’s wages represent between 70–90% of the wages of their male counterparts

17. FoA & Collective Bargaining
Asia has the lowest ratification of the Convention 87 (19) and Convention 98 (25).
Important countries like China, India, Iran, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, etc have not ratified these conventions although FoA & right to collective bargaining exists in some form or the other.
In practice, little or no respect for workers right to form unions, to union recognition & to negotiate collective agreements - (TU density & CB coverage range between 1-19%).

18. State of the workers
: Decent Work Decade for A-P region - BUT
While extreme poverty has reduced, about 1.1 billion workers (60% of the region’s workers), are in vulnerable employment (poor-quality, low-paid & insecure work); [63% women & 58% men]
422 m workers live on less than US$1.25 per day.
Child Labour: About 114 m (2008), 48 m in hazardous conditions
566 m people are malnourished, 469 m lack access to safe water and 1.8 billion people have no access to sanitation
A-P spends about 5.3% of GDP on public health and social security –lower than other regions

19. Work should life you out of poverty, Not keep you there
In Asian context, what changes are needed in development & labour policies for promoting decent work?

20. Over dependence on Exports
Pre-crisis:
Almost 60% of final demand for Asian goods came from developed countries.
Exports accounted for about 47% of developing Asia’s output - In Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand exports contributed over 60% to growth - Exports contributed about 50% to income growth of China (pre-2008)
(Source: )
If Investment > domestic Consumption, then dependence on foreign markets (Exports) is the only way out to maintain growth – but can Asian countries continue to export at the same rate as in last decade?
Limitations of Export led model growth?

21. Lessons from the ‘crisis’ for Asia
for economic & social stability at home - Asian countries need also development & expansion of domestic & regional markets/domestic consumption - how to do this?
Wages - main source of domestic consumption - but wages lagging behind productivity & wage share in GDP declining - plus no social protection for the majority
 need for wage policy & social protection floor aimed at
reducing inequalities, keeping wages in line with
productivity, to increase disposable incomes, avoid
debt financed consumption & promote sustainable growth

22. Wages & labour Standards led growth
Are labour standards only a question of ‘rights’ of workers?
What role does Wage policy, FoA, CB & Social Security/social protection play in economic development?

23. Group Work 1: Country Situation Review
G1. What impact the ‘economic crisis’ had on your country & workers? What policies Government initiated to deal with impact of crisis? Any example of union response?
G2. What are the factors that prevent unions from playing effective role in dispute resolution & collective bargaining? (focus on drawbacks in law, capacity of unions, employers behaviour, role of authorities – give examples)
G3. What are the main demands of the employers in your country?
G3. What are the ‘means’ available to unions to enforce workers rights?
What are main priorities of Trade Unions in your country? List top 3 priorities