TUAC - TRADE UNION ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE OECD

06/12/2013

TUAC’s 131st Plenary is meeting next Tuesday in Paris to take stock of the continuing crisis of rising unemployment and inequality. As the economic crisis is taking its toll on societies, the transition into 2014 needs to be met with concrete policy proposals, which participants at the meetings are set to discuss from different angles.

In terms of specific concerns to the labour movement, the plenary covers the issue of trade union rights in South Korea and the treatment of labour rights in OECD accession negotiations with Columbia – which TUAC is closely monitoring.

As Australia launches the next G20 governance cycle a few days after the Plenary Session, participants will elaborate on their priorities, as well as on past G20 actions and commitments to kick start Labour20 (L20) work for this presidency. Similarly, the next edition of the OECD week including the OECD Forum and Ministerial Council (MCM) meeting will be introduced in a round table discussion with Japanese Ambassador to the OECD (representing the Chair of the MCM) and OECD Deputy Secretary-General Yves Leterme.

This discussion is followed by an update on the OECD Project on “ New Approaches to Economic Challenges” (NAEC), which is producing a synthesis report for the 2014 MCM that should set out clear recommendations on the changes in policy needed to move to a more inclusive and sustainable model of growth that begins reducing widening income gaps.

A particular focus of the plenary is on rising inequality leading up to the OECD Liaison Committee Meeting on the following day. On this occasion, TUAC representatives will address the evidence and effects of inequality and debate on the future direction of policies to restore resilient and far more inclusive growth with the OECD Secretary General, Directors and Ambassadors.

TUAC has prepared the Discussion Paper “Growing More Equal: A Policy Agenda for Reducing Inequality and Promoting Inclusive Growth” for the liaison meeting as a basis for discussion on falling labour shares, wider household income distribution and rising pre-tax top income shares, as evidenced by recent OECD work.



 
Source: Economic Policy Institute

You can download the agendas of the TUAC Plenary Session and the Liaison Committee meeting, as well as TUAC’s discussion paper on inequality and inclusive growth in the right-hand box.