SALVADOR DECLARATION

ANNEX-JOINT DECLARATION CEATAL-COSATE

PLAN OF ACTION

ANNEX-FEASIBILITY
STUDY


 

SALVADOR DECLARATION


1. We, the Ministers participating in the XIII Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the Organization of American States, met in the city of Salvador, State of Bahia, Federal Republic of Brazil, on September 24, 25 and 26, 2003, to address issues related to globalization which affect employment and labor in the Americas.
2. We reaffirm our strong commitment to the principles of inter-American solidarity and cooperation of the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS), to pool our efforts to achieve integral development, which encompasses the economic, social, educational, cultural, scientific, and technological fields. We emphasize that equality of opportunity, the elimination of extreme poverty, the equitable distribution of wealth and income, and the full participation of citizens in decisions related to their own development are, inter alia, basic objectives of integral development. To attain such objectives, we agree to dedicate our efforts to achieve, among other goals, the equitable distribution of national income, the payment of fair wages, opportunities for employment, and labor conditions that are consistent with internationally accepted standards.
3. We recall the Inter-American Democratic Charter, approved by the OAS in Lima, Peru, in September 2001 and, in particular, Article 10, which recognizes that the promotion and strengthening of democracy require the full and effective exercise of workers' rights and the application of core labor standards, as recognized in the International Labor Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and its Follow-up, adopted in 1998, as well as other related basic ILO conventions. Democracy is strengthened by improving working conditions, labor stability and enhancing the quality of life for workers in the Hemisphere. The OAS members restate their commitment to adopting and implementing all those actions required to generate gainful employment, reduce poverty, and eradicate extreme poverty, taking into account the different economic realities and conditions of the countries of the Hemisphere, as recognized in article 12 of the Charter.
4. We emphasize our firm commitment to the goals of the UN Millennium Declaration and, in particular, the eradication of extreme poverty, creating and enabling people everywhere to find decent and productive work. We are committed to the tasks of improved governance and transparency identified in the Monterrey Consensus of the International Conference on Financing for Development.
5. Our deliberations are framed by the commitments agreed to in the Third Summit of the Americas, held in Quebec, Canada in April 2001. At that time, the Heads of State and Government of the Americas instructed us to continue addressing issues related to the effects of globalization on employment and labor, the objectives of creating greater employment opportunities, improving workers' skills, and improving labor conditions throughout the Hemisphere.
6. We note that the upcoming Special Summit of the Americas, to be held in Mexico, will focus on equitable economic growth, social development, and democratic governance. We recognize that our efforts to support the integral development of our peoples are consistent with the objectives of the Special Summit. We commit to working through the Summit of the Americas process, including the Special Summit, to accomplish our objectives.
7. We recall the Ottawa Declaration of the XII Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor, held in Canada in October 2001, in which we emphasized our commitment to create more and better employment as an effective means of combating poverty in the region. At that meeting, we approved a Plan of Action that created two Working Groups: one to examine the social and labor dimensions of the Summit of the Americas process, and the other to find ways to build the capacity of Ministries of Labor and institutions to more effectively implement labor legislation and better carry out their mission.
8. We follow attentively the development of the different processes of regional and subregional integration as well as of bi- and multilateral free trade agreements that are implemented in the Hemisphere, as well as their social and labor impacts. Likewise, we observe that each of those processes has generated instruments for promoting development of the social and labor dimension, according to the characteristics, traditions and will of the participant states and the level of participation of the national and regional social actors. In this sense, we recognize the existence of specific and sensitive labor problems in these processes that may require the adoption of appropriate policies that facilitate harmonious hemispheric integration, in accordance with the priority demanded by each specific situation.
9. We reaffirm our commitment to the 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of the International Labor Organization (ILO), which provides the foundation for broad-based sustainable development and social justice through full respect for the internationally recognized fundamental labor rights. We recall the agreement of our leaders to adopt and implement legislation and policies that provide for the effective application of the labor principles and rights recognized in the Declaration.
10. We reaffirm our conviction that decent work, as conceived by the ILO leadership, is the most effective instrument for the improvement of living conditions for the peoples of our Hemisphere and their participation in the benefits of material and human progress. We embrace the idea that decent work is necessary for sustainable development in each of our countries, and is a condition for the success of hemispheric economic integration. For that reason, the agenda for decent work should become the axis for national and regional development policies, together with investment in health, education, and culture. In addition, we reaffirm our commitment to integrate the gender perspective in the development and implementation of all labor policies.
11. We recall that respect for the principles and rights recognized in the ILO Declaration and the promotion of decent work as foundations for inclusive globalization were central themes of the discussion agenda during the Fifteenth American Regional Meeting held in Lima, Peru, in December 2002.
12. We have viewed with great interest the activities carried out in the region by the ILO World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization and we look forward to reviewing its final report.
13. We note with concern that the adverse economic situation in many of our countries, the slowing of growth in the world economy, and the reduction in social investment have had negative effects on the education, health, welfare, and living conditions of the working population, their families, and the community. In many places, increased unemployment, the deterioration of working conditions and the reduction in the purchasing power of salaries have contributed to the deepening of social and gender inequality.
14. We caution that the policies implemented by our countries in the process of globalization sometimes do not achieve sustainability or reactivation of economic growth and, consequently, opportunities for employment are reduced. We recognize the importance of taking into account the impact of such policies on employment and the standard of living of the population. Social and employment policies should take priority in the political and economic agendas of our countries to permit the successful adaptation of our peoples to the global economy, and to ensure more equitable access to the benefits of globalization.
15. We also note that in many of our countries the opportunities offered by technological innovations and by the dissemination of telecommunications resources do not always translate into benefits to workers and their families. This can result in maintaining and even exacerbating the gulf between those that participate in human progress and those that are excluded from it.
16. We direct our attention toward the segments of the population most affected by economic crises. These tend to be the persons who also suffer from ills, such as illiteracy or limited formal education, lack of vocational skills, misinformation about the labor market, discrimination, lack of social protection and the breakdown of group and family ties. These factors, which often coexist, expose certain segments of the population to intolerable forms of work and condemn them to an existence that is incompatible with human dignity. For this reason, member states should take steps appropriate to their situations. Such steps could include the development of national action plans on decent work, with the assistance of the ILO, and action plans to effectively implement ILO Conventions 138 and 182, and to combat the sexual exploitation of and trafficking in persons, especially women, children, and adolescents, to eliminate forced and compulsory labor; and to promote dignified and productive employment among those working in the informal sector, women, adolescents, people with disabilities, persons living with HIV/AIDS, migrants, and ethnic and religious minorities, as well as generating an environment and conditions of work that are healthy and safe.
17. We are convinced that economic growth and social progress are interdependent and inter-related aspects of the same project for building prosperous, united and equitable societies. Aware of the challenges associated with the creation of decent and productive employment in the context of globalization, we propose to combine the capacities and efforts of our Labor Ministries and other Ministries in the quest for ideas and practices capable of integrating the economic, social and labor dimensions of the regional and national policies of our Hemisphere.
18. We propose a more active role for the Ministries of Labor in the region, one that takes into account the need for the integration of social, labor and economic policies, and the aspirations of countries of the Hemisphere towards deepening their relations in multiple areas, based on shared values and on the realization of common interests. We visualize this new role of the Labor Ministries in different but analogous and complementary levels: at the domestic level, it is important to establish and deepen the institutional relations of the Labor Ministries with the areas of the State in charge of creating and implementing economic policies; at the regional and hemispheric levels, the fundamental issue is to incorporate this focus into the regional and subregional integration and free trade processes. Furthermore, we uphold the connection between labor policies and those in the areas of education, health, culture, social and economic equality, welfare and leisure, etc., within the framework of promoting the integral development of the human being.
19. For this reason we support and foster efforts to develop, modernize, and strengthen the Ministries of Labor through regional action that takes into account the important role of horizontal cooperation and technical assistance. To that effect, also, we support the proposal to conduct a feasibility study of options for establishing a mechanism, under the auspices of the IACML, oriented toward the modernization of labor administrations, and also to increase international collaboration and coordination in support of these objectives. We will also study the possibility of creating an inter-American mechanism to promote decent work and strengthen training. In these processes, we will consider the experiences and resources available in member states and regional and international organizations, especially the OAS, PAHO and ILO. The countries of the region will contribute to the financing of the aforementioned proposals according to their means.
20. Socioeconomic challenges cannot be faced exclusively through social policies, and adequate consideration must be given to the economic policies necessary to create the capacity to introduce and sustain the social agenda. A social and labor agenda is an integral part of economic growth and is a way of ensuring the equitable distribution of benefits. Diverse factors, such as political instability and conflict, poor policy and institutional frameworks, corruption, absence of overall health, education and social welfare programs, lack of infrastructure and access to technological changes, and unfavorable investment climate, are conducive to poverty and inequality. An integrated policy framework combining economic and social policies must take account of the economic realities countries face in implementing a comprehensive social agenda.
21. The integration of the economic and social development objectives also requires stronger forms of interaction between governments and citizens at the domestic, regional or hemispheric levels. Freedom of association and the right to organize, social dialogue, tripartism and other institutional means of social participation are crucial for generating consensus on these matters. We highly value the participation of the Trade Union Technical Advisory Council (COSATE) and the Business Technical Advisory Committee on Labor Matters (CEATAL) in the IACML (1). The Inter-American Democratic Charter declares that citizen participation in development issues is fundamental for the exercise and strengthening of democracy. Social dialogue is the means for achieving the indispensable agreements for ensuring decent work and respect for the basic rights and dignity of people. We want to intensify the dialogue and cooperation with regional and international organizations that are active in the area of development and labor in the Americas, principal among these being the Organization of American States (OAS), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), the Central American Bank of Economic Integration (CABEI), and the World Bank.
22. We follow with interest the negotiations for the formation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), in the framework of the Summit of the Americas process for the purpose of facilitating the contribution of economic integration to the strengthening of democracy, the creation of prosperity, job creation, the reduction in poverty, sustainable development, and the realization of human potential. We emphasize the importance of considering the social and labor components of hemispheric integration during all stages of the negotiations process so that they will be given merited treatment. The Labor Ministries must play an essential role in this process.
23. As stated in paragraph 5 of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up, we reject the use of labor standards for protectionist purposes. We recall that the Declaration of the VII Meeting of the Ministers of Trade of the Hemisphere, held in Quito, Ecuador, in November of 2002, states that the creation of the FTAA, in order to make viable its objectives, must promote goals that are oriented toward economic development, the creation of jobs, and the effective operation of the labor market in the Hemisphere. In the same document, the Ministers of Trade also recognize the need for greater participation by the various sectors of civil society in the hemispheric initiative. We are pleased to see progress in the participation of civil society in this process.
24. We acknowledge that the activities carried out by the two Working Groups established by the Ottawa Plan of Action have greatly contributed to a better understanding of the social and labor dimensions of globalization and of the modernization of Ministries of Labor. We have reviewed their reports and noted with great interest the areas of consensus and the themes that require further work. We adopt the recommendations set forth in the two reports. Such advances represent an excellent basis for implementing policies and programs designed to promote decent work and strengthen the labor administrations.
25. We recognize the importance of implementing more fully the labor commitments expressed by our Heads of State and Government in the Miami, Santiago and Quebec Summit of the Americas Declarations. We recognize that having convergence between the Summit of the Americas process and the negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the Americas is beneficial.
26. With the objective of implementing actions conducive to the fulfillment of the aforementioned goals and commitments,
WE RESOLVE:
A. To implement a Plan of Action based on this Declaration, on the Declaration and Plan of Action of the Third Summit of the Americas, and on the work of the XII Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the OAS, and to dedicate the necessary resources to reach this goal.
B. To maintain the two working groups created by the two previous conferences, with the functions defined at those conferences as follows:
Working Group 1, Labor Dimensions of the Summit of the Americas Process, will examine more in-depth globalization issues that are related to employment and labor, focusing on the implications of regional and subregional integration and free trade processes in the Hemisphere for the purpose of identifying fundamental challenges and intensifying collaboration and cooperation in the Hemisphere in seeking the best solutions to these challenges, with a strong emphasis on the integration of economic and social policies.
Working Group 2, Building Capacity of Labor Ministries will work on developing the ability of these entities to respond to challenges of employment and labor in present and future contexts, in horizontal and harmonious cooperation with other entities in the social, health, education, trade, economic and other areas.
In this sense, we commit ourselves to make efforts to consult with the social actors, via COSATE and CEATAL, regarding the social and labor dimensions of regional and subregional integration and free trade processes in the Hemisphere, and to work with them towards achieving decent work based on the principles of social justice, freedom, equality, security and human dignity.
C. To instruct the Working Groups to offer effective contributions toward decent work and the well being of the citizens of the Hemisphere. To that end, the Working Groups will deepen the work of their predecessors and will improve the systems to follow-up and evaluate the results of the previous Plans of Action to the extent that they help create decent work, promote productive employment and improve health, education, social welfare, well-being, and living conditions for the population.

D. To encourage countries of the hemisphere to intensify cooperation and to share knowledge, experiences, and achievements in the area of employment and labor, so that they may overcome the obstacles to development that can accompany the social, economic, and institutional asymmetries between our countries and regions. The deepening of hemispheric cooperation must involve the social and labor forums constituted in the various trade liberalization and integration experiences in the Americas, as well as the regional and international organizations that exercise a critical role in the promotion of employment and in the betterment of working conditions, particularly the Organization of American States (OAS), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), the Central American Bank of Economic Integration (CABEI), and the World Bank.
E. To organize the Fourteenth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the OAS in Mexico in 2005.

(1)The Joint CEATAL-COSATE Declaration on the occasion of the XIII Inter-American Ministers of Labor is attached to this Declaration.