Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI)

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Employment


Plan of Action of Ottawa

List of Ministries of Labor of the Americas
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Ministers of Labor of the Americas
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Ministerial Conferences since 1963
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XIV IACML – 2005



•  First Preparatory Meeting of the XIV IACML
•  Second Preparatory Meeting of the XIV IACML
•  Third Preparatory Meeting of the XIV IACML
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XIII IACML – 2003


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XII IACML – 2001
•  Final Report
•  Declaration of Ottawa
•  Plan of Action of Ottawa
•  Declaration against the International Terrorism
•  Resolution: SISMEL
•  Challenges of Work for Century XXI
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XI IACML – 1998
•  Declaration and Plan of Action of Viña del Mar
•  Final Report
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X IACML - 1995
•  Declaration and Plan of Action of Buenos Aires

We, the Ministers of Labor, meeting in Ottawa, Canada, October 17 to 19, 2001, on the occasion of the XII Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor of the Organization of American States, are committed to carrying out the following Plan of Action:

ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: ORGANIZATION

The Chair pro tempore (Canada), calling upon the collaboration of the past Chair (Chile) and the future Chair (Brazil) of the Conference of Ministers of Labor, supported by the Technical Secretariat of the OAS and in consultation with representatives of the Trade Union Technical Advisory Council (COSATE) and the Business Technical Advisory Committee on Labor Matters (CEATAL). and the Permanent Technical Committee on Labor Matters (COTPAL) will be responsible for promoting the implementation of the Plan of Action and for improving collaboration and coordination with key international institutions, namely the Organization of American States (OAS), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the World Bank.

ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: FUNDING

Member states shall devote the necessary and available economic and/or technical resources to enable the implementation of the Action Plan. Furthermore, the Chair pro tempore will call upon member states and relevant international organizations to make voluntary contributions to support activities and projects under this plan, and to facilitate the participation of COSATE and CEATAL.

ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: WORKING GROUPS

Participation in working groups shall be open to all member states, as well as to COSATE and CEATAL.

Working Group 1: Labor Dimensions of the Summit of the Americas Process

This working group will examine the labor dimensions of the Summit of the Americas process, including the questions of globalization related to employment and labor, to identify areas of agreement and issues where further work needs to be done, and will prepare a report containing recommendations for consideration at the XIII Conference.

The working group will build upon the results of the Working Group on Globalization of the Economy and its Social and Labor Dimensions created under the Viña del Mar Declaration. It will examine the implications of the ILO report "Labor Standards and the Integration Process in the Americas" and consider discussion papers from member states.

The group will create a process for improved collaboration and coordination on the labor dimensions of the Summit of the Americas process between Labor Ministries and other appropriate ministries and key international institutions within the Americas that have a critical role to play in the improvement of labor conditions, in particular the OAS, ILO, IDB, ECLAC, PAHO as well as the CDB and the World Bank.

Working Group 2: Building the Capacity of Labor Ministries

This working group shall include the OAS, ILO, IDB, ECLAC, PAHO as well as the CDB and the World Bank. It will continue the work of the Working Group on Modernization of the State and Labor Administration created under the Declaration of Viña del Mar. In particular, it will develop new mechanisms to increase the effectiveness of projects and technical assistance to build the capacity of smaller economies and their institutions, and will cooperate with other inter-governmental committees within the Summit of the Americas process responsible for addressing the special needs of these economies.

The working group will focus on the most effective means to implement labor laws and standards and to foster equality of opportunity as well as strategies to promote employment, training, life-long learning and human resource development, and access to more and better employment, as well as to guarantee full compliance with the rights that national laws provide to migrant workers.

The working group will build on regional and sub-regional initiatives and prepare a report on how best practices could be promoted in the Hemisphere. The findings will be presented to the Inter-American Conference of Labor Ministers.

Promotion of the ILO Declaration

Working Group 2 shall work with the assistance of the ILO to promote public awareness of the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-Up, and to promote initiatives involving the private sector, including those of both business and labor, to enhance the respect for these rights. Working Group 2, together with the ILO, will also address challenges that member states are facing in pursuing these objectives, and the ways in which these challenges can be addressed through technical assistance. Working Group 2 shall also promote the ILO Convention Concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (No. 182) and other ILO conventions. Member states call upon the Director General of the ILO for this assistance and to ensure these issues are properly addressed in the next Regional Meeting of ILO member states of the Americas.

Working Group Operational Guidelines

Working groups will be coordinated by a Chair and Vice Chair, who are Ministers elected at this Conference and supported by the OAS Technical Secretariat. The Ministers may perform their functions directly or through representatives.

Each working group will strive to hold its first meeting before March of 2002.

IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION PLAN: TECHNICAL WORKSHOPS

The Chair pro tempore will schedule technical workshops to review means for improving the working conditions of female and male workers, paying particular attention to those with specific needs as set out in this Declaration, and for promoting human resource development, employment, income security, and labor information systems. It will seek partnerships with relevant international agencies, other government departments, and civil society representatives in the organization of these workshops.

The Chair pro tempore will schedule a workshop to address the challenges facing labor ministries, including new employment relationships, the digital divide and the technological capacity of member states.

The Chair pro tempore will set the schedule for these workshops prior to April 2002.