Press releases

November 2003 

• ILO Governing Body establishes Commission of Inquiry to examine violations of trade union rights in Belarus Latest report of ILO Committee on Freedom of Association cites Belarus, Cuba, Zimbabwe, others
  20 November 2003 - Constitution against the government of Belarus for non-observance of the fundamental freedom of association Conventions Nos. 87 and 98, the Governing Body decided to establish a special Commission of Inquiry to examine violations of trade union rights in the country.
• Seventh European regional meeting to be held in Budapest
  19 November 2003 - Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) decided today to hold the Seventh European Regional Meeting in Budapest (Hungary) in February 2005 following Hungary's candidature.
• Xth ILO African Regional Meeting, Addis Ababa 2-5 December Delegates to examine how to fight poverty, create jobs
  18 November 2003 - Xth African Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organization (ILO) is to hammer out priorities for action for the 53 ILO African member States and create a platform of support for the Extraordinary Summit on Employment and Poverty Alleviation in Africa to be convened by African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government in Burkina Faso in 2004.
• ILO Governing Body convenes 288th session: Social dimension of globalization, freedom of association in Belarus and forced labour in Myanmar on the agenda
  06 November 2003 - Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) is to hold its 288th session on 6-21 November, during which it will consider a host of current labour issues ranging from the social dimensions of globalization to questions related to freedom of association in Belarus and forced labour in Myanmar.

October 2003 

• ILO reports strong job growth in the chemical industries in East Asia
  24 October 2003 - ILO report issued here today.
• New Guidelines for ship-breaking adopted
  15 October 2003 - breaking industry has taken a decisive step toward improving the safety and health of thousands of workers who perform one of the world's most hazardous occupations.
• New ILO book attracts attention on women seafarers
  03 October 2003 - According to the new study, "the potential of women seafarers has, in general, attracted remarkably little attention from commentators and policy-makers". It says women represent between 1 and 2 per cent of the world's 1.25 million seafarers serving on some 87,000 ships.

September 2003 

• Timor-Leste Becomes 177th ILO Member State
  29 September 2003 - Timor-Leste's membership became effective on 19 August. The country has been a member of the United Nations since 27 September 2002.
• New ILO study highlights labour trends worldwide: US productivity up, Europe improves ability to create jobs
  01 September 2003 - US productivity accelerated in 2002, surpassing Europe and Japan in terms of annual output per worker for the first substantial period since WWII and widening the productivity gap with the rest of the world, according to a new study by the International Labour Office (ILO) published on US Labor Day.

July 2003 

• ILO Body updates minimum wage for seafarers
  08 July 2003 - Committee of the Joint Maritime Commission (JMC) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) today agreed to extend the validity of the current ILO minimum wage for seafarers of $465 to 31 December 2004. That figure became applicable on 1 January 2003. It also agreed to increase this minimum wage to $500 effective 1 January 2005
• ILO Director-General to address the executive council of the African Union in Mozambique
  07 July 2003 - The Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO) will address a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the African Union on Tuesday, 8 July during the 2nd African Union Summit which continues through Saturday.
• High-Level Panel Tackles Youth Employment crisis with new plan of action brings youth into play
  03 July 2003 - International Labour Office (ILO), the UN, the World Bank and other organizations met here to launch a new initiative designed to convert "policy work to action at the country level".

June 2003 

• H.E., Eui-Yong Chung, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea elected Chairman of ILO Governing Body for 2003-2004 Latest report of ILO Committee on Freedom of Association cites Belarus, Colombia, others
  20 June 2003 - Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) elected H.E. Eui-Yong Chung, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, as Chairman for its 2003-2004 Session.
• 91st annual Conference of the ILO concludes its work: Delegates debate action to end poverty through work, adopt Convention on seafarers security measures
  19 June 2003 - 91st annual Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) concluded its work today following an impassioned and constructive debate on work as a way out poverty. The Conference also adopted a new Convention on seafarers' identity and advanced other measures addressing current issues in the world of work.
• ILO Launches global campaign on social security for all
  18 June 2003 -
• His Majesty King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan addresses the 91st International Labour Conference
  12 June 2003 - Declaring that "work and working people are at the heart of global prosperity," King Abdullah II of Jordan today told the 91 stInternational Labour conference that the "war on want" must be won in order to "heal the divisions and despair that feed global violence".
• Queen of Jordan attends World Day Against Child Labour
  12 June 2003 - The world should "join hands" to fight against child trafficking, a billion-dollar industry which subjects millions of children in the world to a modern form of slavery, said Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan today in an address marking the World Day Against Child Labour at the International Labour Conference.
• President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, addresses 91st International Labour Conference
  11 June 2003 - "The resources exist within the world economy and society to achieve the objective of the eradication of poverty, globally", the President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, told delegates at a special sitting of the International Labour Conference today.
• New ILO report sees further economic and social deterioration in the occupied Arab territories
  11 June 2003 - The economic and social crisis in the occupied Arab territories has deepened markedly over the past year, with rising unemployment and plummeting incomes leading to an "untenable" situation, according to a new report of the Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO).
• ILO to mark World Day Against Child Labour
  10 June 2003 - Her Majesty Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is to be the keynote speaker on Thursday, 12 June when the International Labour Organization (ILO) marks the second World Day Against Child Labour here.