TUAC - TRADE UNION ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE OECD

27/05/2013

Labour Representatives at the OECD Week 2013

Starting this Tuesday, the OECD Forum and the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting provide an occasion for labour representatives to voice their concerns on the current state of the economy that is marked by rising inequality, instability and unemployment. Overwhelming public support for policies to create jobs, develop new industries and reduce unemployment and inequality is undeniable, but at odds with government actions. In this respect, trade unions are specifically asking to change the current structural policy angle, and support collective bargaining and social dialogue.

Trade Union Leaders attending the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, including Richard Trumka, President AFL-CIO (USA), Sharan Burrow, General Secretary ITUC, Ken Georgetti, President CLC (Canada) and John Evans, General Secretary TUAC will be holding a Press Briefing at the OECD Forum on Tuesday 28th May, 12:45 – 1:30 pm to address these issues.

Ken Georgetti and Sharan Burrow will also attend the OECD/G20 High Level Roundtable on Long Term Investment by Institutional Investors on Tuesday. Georgetti will be taking part in the session on the governance of investors, including remuneration and accountability of asset managers and Burrow in the session on infrastructure and green growth projects and how regulation and investment practices can help move away from short term investment strategies towards long-term investment in the 'real economy'.

Unions have been constantly calling for investments in infrastructure including the green economy, as well as a coordinated jobs plan, funded by closing the loopholes in corporate taxation. John Evans said the OECD is mandated by the G20 to propose policy recommendations to tackle tax planning which allows multinationals to pay as little as 5 percent effective corporate tax compared with small business paying up to 30 percent:  “Five years into the economic crisis the threat posed by tax havens has not disappeared. We need action not words”.

The OECD Forum will give the opportunity to raise these shortcomings, as trade union representatives will speak on several panels on Austerity vs. Growth, Rising Inequality, Partnerships for Development, Trade in Value Added and Global Value Chains, which will be crucial in view of the latest tragedy in Bangladesh, and the power of communication to create a link between societies and policy actors. Labour representatives will also take part in OECD Idea Factories on Green Growth and Restoring Public Trust. On the sidelines of the Forum, there will also be a G20 Seminar on Global Value Chains that will be covered from the trade union side, as well.

Coming into the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, international unions have put forward a nine point action plan for Ministers which includes coordination action to kick start the recovery process through increased investment in job creation, infrastructure, green growth and sustainable development. “There is an urgent need for the OECD to review its policies, turn away from austerity and tackle the jobs crisis in a way that restores confidence and trust to working families. Investing in new technologies, clean energy and environment-related industries can give people confidence that we are taking steps now to create a future with jobs,” said Richard Trumka, President AFL-CIO and President of TUAC.

For more OECD Week updates follow us on twitter via @TUACOECD.

The TUAC Statement to the OECD Ministerial meeting is available here.