ILO for the Cook’s?
On Thursday the Herald spoke with Helen Maunga, the Director of Labour at the Ministry of Internal Affairs about the proposal that the Cook Islands become a member of the ILO, (International Labour Organisation).
The ILO is the international organization responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour standards. It is the only ‘tripartite’ United Nations agency that brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers to jointly shape policies and programmes promoting Decent Work for all. This unique arrangement gives the ILO an edge in incorporating ‘real world’ knowledge about employment and work.
The unique tripartite structure of the ILO gives an equal voice to workers, employers and governments to ensure that the views of the social partners are closely reflected in labour standards and in shaping policies and programmes.
The ILO was founded in 1919, in the wake of a destructive war, to pursue a vision based on the premise that universal, lasting peace can be established only if it is based on social justice. The ILO became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946. The main aims of the ILO are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.
Helen Maunga said that there is a possibility that the Cook Islands will be accepted into the ILO to join 184 other countries.
“Joining the ILO will be a good thing for the Cook Islands as we will have to recreate some labor laws to fit the ILO standards for the benefit of our country,” said Maunga.
Underlying the ILO’s work is the importance of cooperation between government and employers’ and workers’ organizations in fostering social and economic progress.
The ILO aims to ensure that it serves the needs of working women and men by bringing together governments, employers and workers to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes. The very structure of the ILO, where workers and employers together have an equal voice with governments in its deliberations, shows social dialogue in action. It ensures that the views of the social partners are closely reflected in ILO labour standards, policies and programmes.
The Ministry will provide a further update on the proposal at a later date. -Tiare Ponini

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