ASEAN calls for review of labor standards<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (AFP): Labor ministers of the Association of Southeast
\nAsian Nations (ASEAN) called yesterday for the review of
\ninternational labor standards, rejecting any linkage with trade
\nissues.<\/p>\n
\"Any such linkage would seriously undermine the economic
\ngrowth of developing countries which in turn would affect the
\neconomy of the developed nations,\" said a joint communique of the
\n11th ASEAN Labor Ministers Meeting.<\/p>\n
The ministers called on the International Labor Organization
\n(ILO) to review its standards and their application in member
\nstates, Thai labor minister Prasong Boonpong said at the close of
\nthe two-day meeting.<\/p>\n
\"Many of the ILO conventions which were formulated decades ago
\nhave become outdated and do not reflect the actual social and
\neconomic conditions of member states,\" the communique said.<\/p>\n
The ILO was asked to provide more assistance to member states
\nin promoting employment, fighting poverty and eliminating child
\nlabor, rather than penalizing them for failing to live up to the
\nstandards of developed countries.<\/p>\n
Prasong objected specifically to the Freedom of Association
\nprinciple, under which the Thai government has been pressured to
\nallow the registration of state enterprise unions, banned after a
\ncoup d'etat in 1991.<\/p>\n
The communique listed seven conventions which the ministers
\nconsidered ripe for review, also dealing with forced labor, child
\nlabor, discrimination, the right to organize and collective
\nbargaining.<\/p>\n
\"Pending the review, the ministers requested the ILO to adopt
\na more flexible approach in applying ratified conventions with
\ndue consideration given to the stage of development of each
\nmember state,\" it said.<\/p>\n
Labor standards should be discussed only in the ILO, \"and not
\nin international trade or other non-labor related fora,\" the
\ncommunique said, explicitly rejecting a call by developed
\ncountries for their inclusion under the World Trade Organization.<\/p>\n
In regional affairs, progress was noted in implementing
\nproposals for UN-funded projects to promote self-employment in
\nthe informal sector and improvement in working conditions and the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
But Prasong told reporters afterwards that no timetables or
\nprocedures had yet been established. \"We've just begun to talk
\nabout it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Other nascent ASEAN programs discussed were to address
\nindustrial relations and human resource development planning.<\/p>\n
ASEAN consists of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
\nPhilippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
It was the first time that the representative from Vietnam,
\nwhich joined the regional grouping last year, had attended a
\nlabor ministers meeting.<\/p>\n
Prasong announced in his closing statement that Hanoi would
\nhost the next such meeting in 1998. The communique noted that it
\nwould also host the informal meeting in 1997 that the ministers
\nhold on alternate years.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-calls-for-review-of-labor-standards-1447893297",
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