On May 22nd, 2020, the authorities of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (IACML) held a virtual meeting to adjust the Work Plan 2028-2020 of the Conference in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During that meeting, the authorities agreed to hold the XXI IACML, originally planned for December 2020, in 2021, and to maintain it as a face-to-face meeting. This decision was endorsed by Resolution No. 343 (CIII-O/20) approved by the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) in July 2020, where OAS Member States accepted with gratitude the offer of the Government of Argentina, and convened the XXI IACML in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from September 22 to 24, 2021.

Considering the postponement of the XXI IACML, the authorities decided to hold an additional Meeting of the Working Groups to analyze and exchange experiences on relevant topics for the world of work in light of COVID-19. This Virtual Meeting of Working Groups 1 and 2 will take place on September 10 and 15th, 2020, respectively.

Participants:

Representatives designated by the Ministries of Labor of the 34 Member States of the OAS, COSATE and CEATAL, and international organizations part of the IACML process.

Objectives:

•  Examine in greater depth the topics identified in the Plan of Action of Bridgetown, adopted during the XX IACML in 2017, especially those that are a priority for Ministries of Labor to respond to the health, economic and social crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, including occupational safety and health, social dialogue, telework and work in platforms, among others.

•  Promote the exchange of experiences, provide information and pertinent studies, and follow up on hemispheric initiatives related to the themes of the Plan of Action of Bridgetown, especially those that are a priority in the response to the pandemic.

Conection:
The ZOOM links to access the meetings have been sent to the registered participants. In case of having any concerns in this regard, please write to [email protected]

Documents:

•  Information Bulletin

•  Agenda

•  Updated Work Plan of the XX IACML

•  Training Proposal for Gender Mainstreaming in the Ministries of Labor

•  Activities Report of the Inter-American Network for Labor Administration for the period 2006 - September 2020

•  Financial Report of the Inter-American Network for Labor Administration (Available shortly)

•  Financial Report of the Inter-American Network for Labor Administration (Available shortly)

•  Results of the polls conducted during the meetings

Presentations:

Meeting of Working Group 1: Integrated public policies for productive employment and decent work with social inclusion

Panel 1: Measures by the Ministries of Labor to Protect Income and Promote Training and Re-Skilling of the Workforce

• Inter-American Development Bank:David Rosas, Senior Specialist of the Labor Markets and Social Security Division (Translated version available shortly)
• Honduras Minister Carlos Alberto Madero, Minister of Labor and Social Security
• CEATAL Alberto Echavaria, Vice-Chair of the Bussiness Technical Advosiry Committee on Labor Matters
• COSATE Marta Pujadas, Chair of the Trade Union Technical Advisory Council

Panel 2: Telework and the Platform Economy under COVID-19

• International Labour Organization: Janine Berg, Senior Economist, Department of Work Conditions, Geneva
• Colombia Ligia Stella Chavez, Vice-Minister of Labor Relations, Ministry of Labor
• Chile Fernando Arab, Vice-Minister of Labor, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare

Informative Session - Institutionalization of a Gender Approach in the Ministries of Labor

• Organization of American States (OAS): Maria Claudia Camacho, Chief, Labor and Employment Section, Department of Human Development, Education and Employment (Translated version available shortly)




Meeting of Working Group 2: Institutional Strengthening to protect workers' and employers' rights and obligations and foster cooperation

Information session- IACML Work Plan and the Inter-American Network for Labor Administration

• Organization of American States (OAS):Presentation of the Work Plan of the IACML by Jesus Schucry Giacoman, Director of the Department of Human Development, Education and Employment, SEDI, OAS. Presentation on the Inter-American Network for Labor Administration (RIAL) by Maria Claudia Camacho, Labor and Employment Section Chief, and Guillermo Calzada, Program Officer, Department of Human Development, Education and Employment.

Panel 1: Social Dialogue in the response to COVID-19

• Panama Bredio Mitre, Director of International Technical Cooperation, Ministry of Labour (Available in English shortly)
• COSATE: Marta Pujadas, Chair of the Trade Union Technical Advisory Council
• CEATAL: Daniel Funes de Rioja, Chair of the Bussiness Technical Advosiry Committee on Labor Matters

Panel 2: Occupational Safety and Health: Inter-Sectorial Coordination and Labor Inspection

• Pan-American Health Organization: Julietta Rodriguez Guzman, Regional Advisor on Worker's Health
• Canada: Brenda Baxter, Director General, Workplace Directorate, Labour Program of Employment and Social Development Canada
• Argentina: Marcelo Dominguez, General Manager, Superintendency of Occupational Risks (translated version available shortly)

Panel 3: Social Protection in the Face of COVID-19

• Ibero-American Social Security Organization: Gina Magnolia Riano, General Secretary
• International Labour Organization: Pablo Casali, Specialist in Social Security of the ILO Office for the American countries
• Costa Rica: Marcos Solano, National Employment Director, Ministry of Labor and Social Security