an article by Felix Hauf (Goethe University, Frankfurt) published in Global Labour Journal Volume 6 Number 2 (2015)
Abstract
Scientific discourses of decent work can be roughly grouped into two main lines of interpretation.
The first, optimistic line sees the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) decent work agenda as indicative of counter-hegemonic forces successfully injecting post-neo-liberal norms into global labour regulation. Specifically, feminist scholars have welcomed the emergence of decent work, because of its explicit concern with non-standard work, informal labour and care work.
The second, more pessimistic line is critical of the decent work agenda, seeing it as compatible with or even reinforcing neo-liberal hegemony, especially because of its embrace of soft labour regulation and corporate social responsibility.
This article aims to analyse the paradoxes of decent work by putting this discourse in its historical and theoretical context. The article first draws on the framework of Cultural Political Economy (CPE) to identify competing ‘economic imaginaries’ of decent work.
Two prominent interpretations will be juxtaposed to outline a ‘feminist’ and a ‘business case’ decent work imaginary. Second, the article interrogates two different ILO initiatives, each of which is underpinned by one of these decent work imaginaries, in terms of the ways they may challenge or reinforce neo-liberal hegemony – the Domestic Workers Convention and the Better Work Programme.
Full text (PDF)
Showing posts with label ILO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ILO. Show all posts
Friday, 24 July 2015
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Wages: Where is Britain in the Global Race?
via ToUChstone blog: A public policy blog from the TUC by Duncan Weldon
International Labour Organisation data shows that over the course of 2007-2011 British workers suffered the largest falls in real wages (wages after taking into account price rises) of any G7 economy. Whilst workers in many countries saw their real terms pay rise, real wages fell heavily in the UK adding to an unprecedented squeeze in living standards.
View a larger version of the infographic here
Global Race: Part of the Global Race series; looking at Britain's economic growth in comparison to other major economies.
International Labour Organisation data shows that over the course of 2007-2011 British workers suffered the largest falls in real wages (wages after taking into account price rises) of any G7 economy. Whilst workers in many countries saw their real terms pay rise, real wages fell heavily in the UK adding to an unprecedented squeeze in living standards.
View a larger version of the infographic here
Global Race: Part of the Global Race series; looking at Britain's economic growth in comparison to other major economies.
Monday, 4 March 2013
Global employment trends 2013: recovering from a second jobs dip
a report from the International Labour Organization
Five years after the outbreak of the global financial crisis, the study offers the latest global and regional information and projections on several indicators of the labour market, including employment, unemployment, working poverty and vulnerable employment. It also presents a number of policy considerations in light of the new challenges facing policy makers in the coming year.
Global Employment Trends 2013 highlights how the crisis is increasingly raising trend unemployment rates, partly driven by sectoral shifts of jobs that had been triggered by the crisis. Despite historically low interest rates in many advanced economies, investment and employment have not shown tangible signs of recovery. Depressed growth prospects have started to spread to the developing world, where low productivity and wage growth continues to remain an issue in most regions, preventing improvements in employment and disposable incomes, in particular among poorer countries, and adding to a rise in global inequality.
The report argues that in countries with high and rising unemployment, job guarantee programmes for targeted labour market groups should be the preferred policy measure. Moreover, rising labour market discouragement and structural unemployment should be tackled with new skills and training initiatives to help job-seekers find employment in alternative industries and to promote their employability more broadly. Other possible areas of intervention are further investments in public infrastructure in developing countries and a swift implementation of financial market regulation to help stabilize the macroeconomic environment and stimulate job creation.
Full text (PDF 170pp)
Five years after the outbreak of the global financial crisis, the study offers the latest global and regional information and projections on several indicators of the labour market, including employment, unemployment, working poverty and vulnerable employment. It also presents a number of policy considerations in light of the new challenges facing policy makers in the coming year.
Global Employment Trends 2013 highlights how the crisis is increasingly raising trend unemployment rates, partly driven by sectoral shifts of jobs that had been triggered by the crisis. Despite historically low interest rates in many advanced economies, investment and employment have not shown tangible signs of recovery. Depressed growth prospects have started to spread to the developing world, where low productivity and wage growth continues to remain an issue in most regions, preventing improvements in employment and disposable incomes, in particular among poorer countries, and adding to a rise in global inequality.
The report argues that in countries with high and rising unemployment, job guarantee programmes for targeted labour market groups should be the preferred policy measure. Moreover, rising labour market discouragement and structural unemployment should be tackled with new skills and training initiatives to help job-seekers find employment in alternative industries and to promote their employability more broadly. Other possible areas of intervention are further investments in public infrastructure in developing countries and a swift implementation of financial market regulation to help stabilize the macroeconomic environment and stimulate job creation.
Full text (PDF 170pp)
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Global Wage Report 2012/2013: wages and equitable growth
via UN Pulse from U.N. Dag Hammarskjöld Library
This Report, (PDF 116pp) that was funded by the International Labour Organization (ILO), examines regional differences and trends in the years proceeding and following the Global Financial Crisis and provides a fresh overview that aims to assist International Decision-Makers.
This is a really useful summary of the larger document. No point in my duplicating the effort!
This Report, (PDF 116pp) that was funded by the International Labour Organization (ILO), examines regional differences and trends in the years proceeding and following the Global Financial Crisis and provides a fresh overview that aims to assist International Decision-Makers.
This is a really useful summary of the larger document. No point in my duplicating the effort!
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Global employment trends for youth 2012
This report from the International Labour Office was published in May this year.
My brief summary using the headings from the Executive summary
The report highlights the continuing youth unemployment crisis, and the impact of the economic downturn on youth labour force participation.
It asks whether temporary employment and part-time work provide a reasonable transition into full-time employment which is not designated as temporary.
Whilst accepting that in general more, better education is likely to lead to a more successful entry into the labour market the report warns that greater human capital and higher levels of education do not automatically translate into improved labour market outcomes and more jobs.
Youth employment policies warrant the highest priority. Important areas for interventions include:
My brief summary using the headings from the Executive summary
The report highlights the continuing youth unemployment crisis, and the impact of the economic downturn on youth labour force participation.
It asks whether temporary employment and part-time work provide a reasonable transition into full-time employment which is not designated as temporary.
Whilst accepting that in general more, better education is likely to lead to a more successful entry into the labour market the report warns that greater human capital and higher levels of education do not automatically translate into improved labour market outcomes and more jobs.
Youth employment policies warrant the highest priority. Important areas for interventions include:
- macroeconomic and growth policies;
- active labour market policies and programmes;
- better strategies to improve social protection for young people, and to tailor labour market reforms for their specific needs;
- social dialogue and partnerships for youth employment; and
- supporting strong labour market information and analysis systems which provide the basis to monitor labour markets and design and implement effective policies.
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Mapping anti-discrimination law onto inequality at work: …
Expanding the meaning of equality in international labour law
an article by Colleen Sheppard (McGill University, Montreal, Canada) published in International Labour Review Volume 151 Issue 1-2 (June 2012)
Abstract
This article explores the evolving relationship between the concept of discrimination in international labour law and the socio-economic phenomenon of inequality at work.
While non-discrimination was initially understood as a fairly limited legal principle mandating equal treatment for similarly situated individuals, it subsequently expanded to address indirect discrimination resulting from apparently neutral rules, standards and practices at work.
It has expanded further to take on group-based patterns of inequality at work related to the structural constraints of the market, the family and community life, ultimately resulting in convergence between anti-discrimination law and legal initiatives to reduce class-based socioeconomic inequality and poverty.
an article by Colleen Sheppard (McGill University, Montreal, Canada) published in International Labour Review Volume 151 Issue 1-2 (June 2012)
Abstract
This article explores the evolving relationship between the concept of discrimination in international labour law and the socio-economic phenomenon of inequality at work.
While non-discrimination was initially understood as a fairly limited legal principle mandating equal treatment for similarly situated individuals, it subsequently expanded to address indirect discrimination resulting from apparently neutral rules, standards and practices at work.
It has expanded further to take on group-based patterns of inequality at work related to the structural constraints of the market, the family and community life, ultimately resulting in convergence between anti-discrimination law and legal initiatives to reduce class-based socioeconomic inequality and poverty.
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
New ILO standards on decent work for domestic workers: A summary of the issues and discussions
an article by Manuela Tomei and Patrick Belser (Conditions of Work and Employment Programme, ILO) published in International Labour Review Volume 150 Issue 3-4 (December 2011)
Abstract
The world’s millions of domestic workers are mostly excluded from national labour laws because they work in private homes, in employment relationships with special characteristics. They are highly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse – often overworked, underpaid and subjected to violence. Adopted in June 2011, the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), and its accompanying Recommendation (No. 201) embody the resolve of governments and workers’ and employers’ organizations worldwide to remedy this situation. The authors of this paper, who were closely associated with the preparations and tripartite negotiations that led to the adoption of these instruments, review their contents and highlights of the underlying debates.
Abstract
The world’s millions of domestic workers are mostly excluded from national labour laws because they work in private homes, in employment relationships with special characteristics. They are highly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse – often overworked, underpaid and subjected to violence. Adopted in June 2011, the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), and its accompanying Recommendation (No. 201) embody the resolve of governments and workers’ and employers’ organizations worldwide to remedy this situation. The authors of this paper, who were closely associated with the preparations and tripartite negotiations that led to the adoption of these instruments, review their contents and highlights of the underlying debates.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
