Introduction to Decent Work

Employment
Learning Objectives:
• After learning the concept, the students will be able:

1. To provide a basic knowledge on the concepts and

learning's pertaining to decent work.
2. To identify the goals and features of the four decent
works components.
3. To determine, strategies and policies employed in
decent works
 June 1999

• Director General Juan Somavia introduce Decent

Work during the International Labor Conference in
June 1999.
History of
Decent • His wide experience in all areas of public life and his
involvement in social development, business, civil and
Work academic organizations shape his vision of the need to
secure decent work for women and men.

• He described decent work as “opportunities for

women and men to obtain decent and productive
work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and
human dignity”
 2006
• enhancement of decent work was reinforced at the
14th Asian Regional Meeting of ILO, held in Busan,
Korea.

History of • established an Asian Decent Work Decade for the

period 2006 to 2015
Decent
2007
Work • ILO Asian Employment Forum was held in Beijing
in 2007, on the topic ‘Growth, Employment and
Decent Work’.
• highlighted the importance of sound and realistic
labor market information and statistical services to
support analysis and policymaking, and the need
for capacity building.
 Who is Juan Sumavia?

Juan Sumavia
 born in Chile on April 11, 1941
 serves as ILO-Director from March 1999 to
September 2012
 with long and distinguished career in civil, political,
© 1996-2021 International Labour and international affairs.
Organization (ILO)
 active in addressing the social dimension of the
present financial and economic crisis (ILO, 2021).
 articulated decent work in 1999
 Chilean Permanent Representative to the UN from
1990 to 1999

© 1996-2021 International Labour Organization (ILO)


© 1996-2021 International Labour
Organization (ILO)
© 1996-2021 International Labour Organization (ILO)
Who is Juan Sumavia?
Juan Sumavia
launched the Decent Work Agenda and under his
leadership, the Organization established “Decent
Work” as its primary goal.
 fight for the rights of the workforces around the
world.
 the ninth Director-General of the ILO by the
Governing Body on 23 March 1998.
 On 7 November 2013, he was appointed by Sec.
General Ban Ki-moon to serve as Special Adviser
on Interregional Policy Cooperation.
 How was it started?

 introduced in the Philippines during the first cycle

covering 2002-2004
History of
Decent 2002

Work • National Action Plan for Decent Work was

launched in May 2002.
in the • The third cycle of the Philippine agenda on
decent work was launched Monday, Oct. 13,
Philippines 2008
 How was it started?

2009
History of
• Common Agenda for Decent Work was launched
Decent in October 2009.
Work 2019
in the • The ILO 24-Hour Global Tour Manila held on 11
Philippines April 2019 featured the Decent Work Country
Programme and its key components.
• The Philippines was the first in Asia to broadcast
live globally marking 100 years or the ILO
Centenary.
 Overall Goal
• To effect positive change in people’s lives at the
national and local levels.

ILO Goal on Decent Work

Decent Work • To promote opportunities for women and men

to obtain decent and productive work, in
Agenda conditions of freedom, equity, security and
human dignity.” (ILO, 1999, p.3, Ghai,2006).

Philippine Decent Work Common Agenda

2008-2010
• To reduce decent work gaps by enhancing
workforce productivity, competitiveness,
representation, and equity at work.
  is used to express employment
aspirations and policy goals.
How is it developed?
Decent Work  dialogue between government and
Agenda in the representatives of employers and
Philippines workers organizations

 created an overall framework to

promote decent work
  to reduce decent work gaps
Overall goal of  enhancing workforce productivity,
the Philippine competitiveness, representation,
Decent Work  equity at work.
Common Agenda
2008-2010
Decent Work
Agenda in the
Philippines 01 Decent Work Pilot
Programme 2000
04 3rd Cycle Decent
Work Common
Agenda 2008 – 2010

02 1st Cycle Decent

Work Common
Agenda 2002 – 2004
05 Philippine Labor
and Employment Plan
03 2nd Cycle Decent
2011 – 2016
Work Common
Agenda 2005 – 2007

What is decent work?
(ILO, 1999, p.3, Ghai,2006).
respects the fundamental rights of
the human person
respect the rights of workers in terms
of conditions of work safety and
remuneration,
respect for the physical and mental
integrity of the worker in the exercise
of his/her employment.

What is decent work?
(ILO, 1999, p.3, Ghai,2006).
involves opportunities for work that is
productive
delivers a fair income,
security in the workplace
social protection for families,
personal development
social integration
 freedom for people to express concerns
What is decent work?  organize and participate in the decisions

(ILO, 1999, p.3, Ghai,2006).

that affect their lives
 equality of opportunity
 equal treatment for all women and men
  access to jobs as a priority and not
What is decent work? just any job, but a quality job, not

(ILO, 1999, p.3, Ghai,2006). just any work, but a decent work.
 means dignity, equality, a fair
income, and safe working
conditions.
 puts people at the center of
development
 to promote opportunities for
Primary Goal of the
women and men to obtain decent
I.L.O
(ILO, 1999, p.3, Ghai,2006). and productive work, in
conditions of freedom, equity,
security and human dignity.”
(ILO, 1999, p.3, Ghai,2006).
Focused of ILO

Promoting rights at work

Employment

Social security

Industrial relations
 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
affirmed that “All human beings are free
and equal in dignity and in rights," making
universality a cornerstone of the human
rights legal system.

Universality Universality
and Diversity • The quality of involving or being shared by
all people or things in the world or in a
Globally particular group.
• It is about human dignity, not about
homogeneity

Diversity
• Is understanding that each individual is
unique and recognizing our individual
differences.
 • Decent works is an aspiration of
Decent Work people in their working lives to have
Indicators an equal opportunity in a workplace
in a safe environment that considers
all the rights that the workers or
employees should have.

• Decent work reflects the concerns of

the three pillars of the ILO
Governments
Workers
employers
 - for job opportunities and
Worker’s sufficient incomes
Aspirations - rights at work
- representation and a
voice at the workplace
- family stability and
personal development
- fairness and gender
equality.
Elements of ILO Framework Work Indicators
employment safe work
social security
opportunities environment

social dialogue,
adequate equal opportunity
employers’, and
earnings and and treatment in
workers’
productive work employment
representation

decent working stability and

time security of work

combining work,
work that should
family, and
be abolished
personal life
 • https://www.nureva.com/blog/education/15-
active-learning-activities-to-energize-your-n
References ext-college-class
• https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/ho
w-the-ilo-works/ilo-director-general/former-
directors-general/WCMS_192716/lang--en/in
dex.htm
• https://www.ilo.org/manila/country/
WCMS_124874/lang--en/index.htm
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mZpyJwevPqc