Speech of David Joyce, Irish Worker Delegate
International Labour Conference 2022
'With the world naturally focused on the destructive fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I congratulate the DG for applying much-needed focus on the LDCs and the challenges faced in attaining decent work for all by 2030. The report states that as the final decade for the implementation of the UN’s Agenda 2030 advances and the prospects for achieving many of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals become increasingly daunting, the international community is challenged over its real determination “to leave no one behind”. The labour market conditions set out in this report, constitute a particular test.
Trade unions are calling for a New Social Contract with SDG 8 at its centre, rooted in a gender-transformative agenda based on jobs – the creation of decent, climate-friendly jobs with just transition; rights for all; minimum living wages and equal pay; universal social protection for all; equality, and freedom from discrimination; and inclusion, ensuring development systems that empower developing countries.
It is clear that corporate greed is a serious obstacle to achieving the SDGs by 2030. It feeds global inequality, concentrating wealth in the pockets of a few at the expense of the environmental, social and labour rights of the many. And it imprisons workers and their communities in poverty and illness and deprives their country of important tax revenues that could be invested in sustainable recovery and resilience. In contrast, a world that leaves no one behind holds corporations to account by mandatory due diligence, including grievance procedures to effect remedy for violations.
President, attainment of SDG 8 also faces challenges in wealthy countries, including Ireland where:
• One in 5 workers are low paid ;
• gender pay gap of 11.3%;
• 60% of those who experienced sexual harassment, did so at work ;
• and there is a lack of collective bargaining rights
We are campaigning on all of these issues and, crucially are engaged in negotiations with Government and Employers on an improved legal framework for collective bargaining, aware also of the imminent conclusion to the proposed EU Minimum Wages Directive. As the 2022 flagship social dialogue report of the ILO confirms, a successful conclusion to these will unleash the power of collective bargaining to advance equality and foster inclusion in our country.
We also urge the Government to expedite the process to ratify Convention 190.
I want also to note the report on the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories and the decent work deficits it outlines. Widespread reports of discrimination against Palestinians in the application of regulations and policy outlined in the report have been described as apartheid in the report of the former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Illegal settlement expansion, the impact of the blockade in Gaza, and the impact of Covid 19 on the world of work have all impacted workers in the region and the international community has to move beyond condemnation to holding Israel accountable.
May I also on behalf of Irish workers send our ongoing solidarity to all our brothers and sisters struggling for peace, democracy and respect for human rights.
And extend my huge gratitude to the outgoing Director-General, Guy Ryder for his contribution over the past decade'.
You can click on video of the speech here
