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Poverty and unemployment had been two main problems being faced by India ever since its independence. It was in this background that generation of employment form core of the India policy said BMS General Secretary, Mr. K. Lakshama Reddy. There had been shift away from employment generation policy since India started liberalizing. The current phase of economic meltdown has had worse impact on the working class since it led to not only loss of jobs in new sector but also in deterioration of conditions of work in general. Highlighting the effort to bring unions together, Mr. Reddy made reference to the Trade Unions’ Convention held on 14^th September.



The HMS General Secretary Bro. Umraomal Purohit expressed anguish in seeing the widening of decent work deficit in all industries. Unions and not adequately sensitive as also informed about the decent work concept as also the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda. Both the leaders emphasized that the ILO should become more active in the area since it is in the midst of the South Asia Decent Work Decade. They also called for more active cooperation among the trade unions and effective follow-up of the resolution passed by the all trade unions’ Convention held on 14^th September. They were speaking at roundtable on Promoting Decent Work under Economic Meltdown, jointly organized by the Global Union Federations [GUFs] and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung [FES] on October 6^th at New Delhi. The consultation was held to begin the celebrations toward the World Decent Work Day that falls on October 7^th.



The deficit in decent work conditions in India is not new phenomena since majority of the workers are employed in the informal sector wherein the enforcement of laws is better in papers only. Awareness about ILO’s Core Labour Standards is minimal and in the background of labour surplus, it becomes extremely difficult to ensure respect to the ILO’s CLS as also national legislative provisions. Ineffective ness of trade unions is a major cause for the same. On the contract and casual workers are posing as the stumbling block. Representatives of central trade unions called for review of unions’ work in the areas of “organizing” and “social dialogues”. They expressed need for focused action on organizing by the unions. Efforts also be made to bring the contract and casual workers within the fold of trade unions.



According to ILO, the ownership of the Decent Work Agenda lies with the individual country’s social partners. ILO is merely facilitator. The ILO’s decent work county program [DWCP] is country level initiative. The DWCPO for India is in the process of making and consensus needs to be arrived at before formalizing the implementation.



Earlier the representatives of Global Union Federations [GUFs] made presentations highlighting their respective works in the sphere of decent work. ITF informed that the economic meltdown has immensely affected their sector and this is indicative from the recently published disputes in the civil aviation industry in India. BWI informed that its affiliates have majority of members from the informal sector and possess limited skill resulting in their unabated exploitation. BWI’s work in the area of child labour and results thereof was also shared. UNI informed that youth constitute dominant portions in the sectors of its concerns as such its main focus had been enhancing awareness about their rights at workplace as also what constitute decent work. It also gave details on UNI organizing initiatives in new sectors. PSI gave details on work in Delhi Metro Rail and highlighted deficit in decent work as also connivance of the companies with labour contractors. It also highlighted private player’s entry in public work and consequent deterioration of the conditions of work.



In the final hours of the roundtable, the participating organization expressed that in securing decent work conditions it is imperative for the unions and their federations at local, national, regional and global level to seek support since the business has acquired global shape. It is important that the workers and their organization think globally and act locally so as to achieve decent work conditions for all in foreseeable future.