Page 16 – ILO Former Officials

5 March 2019

In the past even the future was brighter / Peter Auer

The Global Commission on the future of work, set up in 2017 as a second step to the future of work initiative created by the DG, Guy Rider, in 2013, is in full working gear, organising technical events in order to issue a major report in 2019.

This effort makes me think that it is timely to remind of another major initiative on the same subject, back in the not so far past. In 2000 the French Ministry of Labour and the then Director General of the ILO, Juan Somavia, initiated a series of symposia on the same subject, coined in broader terms as the “future of work, employment and social protection”. I was then charged by the DG to coordinate these events in close collaboration with the French ministry of labour. Subsequently, the ILO invited experts on the matter in the ILO, the French ministry, the social partners and the international research community and held 3 conferences in the years 2001, 2002 and 2005.

The first conference, organized in Annecy, France in 2001 discussed the need for the development of policies to provide security for workers in the face of growing uncertainties, which were caused by the forces of globalization, as well as technological and organisational change. Accordingly, the first conference discussed the large subject of the transformations of work and employment as a consequence of these changes and the impact of these transformations on work and society as well as the possible economic, political and social responses for increased worker security. (For details see the conference proceedings: Peter Auer and Christine Daniel “The future of work, employment and social protection: the search for new securities in a world of growing uncertainties” IILS, ILO 2002).

The second symposium meeting, organized in Lyon in 2002, focused on labour market dynamics and discussed trajectories of the employed and unemployed, life cycle approaches, the evolution of regulations and the need for well integrated policies. The concept of life long security, protected transitions on the labour market with varying periods of work, education and training, as well as the protection of risks at particular difficult periods in the life cycle of individuals was a core idea in this meeting. Balancing working and family life was seen as a particularly important part of modern, dynamic labour markets that increase female participation in the worklife. (see Peter Auer and Bernard Gazier ” The future of work, employment and social protection: the dynamics of change and the protection of workers” ILLS, ILO 2002).

The third meeting in 2005 was again organized in Annecy and found that globalization has indeed enhanced the overall well being of countries that have participated in globalization and have contributed to an overall reduction in poverty. However, in the public perception, globalization was increasingly seen as a job killer, affecting people’s life course negatively and a big driver of inequality. While it was found that most adversely affected are countries that do not, or only marginally participate in the economics of globalization, it was also acknowledged that that there are few policies effectively compensating the losers of globalization. The conference analysed these trends and patterns in the internationalisation of employment, looked at losers and winners and proposes new policies of compensation, based on labour rights and standards and on labour market and social policies which build an effective employment adjustment and social protection system that leads to a fairer globalization. (See Peter Auer, Geneviève Besse and Dominique Méda “The internationalization of employment: a challenge for a fair globalization”, IILS, ILO 2005.)

In conclusion the series of conferences organized by France and the ILO posed many of the right questions and proposed a framework for labour standards and labour market policies that would allow to govern globalization at national and international level in order to make it fairer. However, the financial crisis starting in 2008, which needed ad-hoc interventions to cope with the negative impact on jobs, reduced the ability to build long term labour market and social policy frameworks that would accompany the shocks of globalization in a more sustainable way. Quantitative easing worked well for private investors, but was accompanied by a reduction in public spending on social and labour market policies.

Also in the light of recent attempts by a major economic power to reduce globalization alltogether and install national preference, and the rise of nationalism in Europe and elsewhere one might ask if the paradigm “let globalization happen, but compensate the losers” is still accepted as a road map for developing standards and policies. What we see is that policies of compensation are superceded by protectionist measures, and one may ask whether the Annecy conference series was too overoptimistic on the governance of globalization by standards and policies. It is in this context that one may say that “in the past even the future was brighter” as this belief of being able to govern globalization in order to make it fairer is less prevalent today than in the early 2000s. This one of the important challenges that the Global Commission on the future of work will have to discuss.

* This is a variant of the saying in German “früher war auch die Zukunft besser” that is ascribed to the humorist Karl Valentin

19 January 2019

Reply from the Director General to the Section’s letter

Category : Archives

Reply from the Director General to the Section’s letter

Section’s letter

M. Guy Ryder
Directeur général
Genève, le 26 février 2019

Monsieur le Directeur général,

Le Bureau de la Section des anciens a pris connaissance en ce début d’année de la Directive du Bureau IGDS Numéro 533 (Version 1) datée du 10 décembre 2018. De même, il a eu copie de la lettre signée par plusieurs retraités et adressée A vous-même relative aux préoccupations des retraités concernant l’accès au BIT et à certains de ses services dont l’intranet.

Si nous comprenons le souci de sécurisation de l’accès au bâtiment, nous avons toutefois le sentiment que les retraités sont de plus en plus écartés et éloignés du BIT. Nous espérons, bien sûr, nous tromper. Les dispositions décrites dans la Directive IGDS 533 ont été discutées lors des deux dernières réunions de notre Bureau, instance de direction de la Section.

Nous nous reconnaissons dans l’énoncé du paragraphe 4 “Le BIT met A la disposition des fonctionnaires et autres collaborateurs, ainsi que des personnes qui participent aux activités de l’Organisation, une place de parking…”. Les activités de la Section des anciens participent à la vie du BIT, et en cette année de Centenaire nous avons répondu présent aux différentes sollicitations et coopérations suscitées au sein de l’Organisation. Les retraités bénéficient d’un badge “courtoisie”. Toutefois nous nous étonnons que ceux qui régulièrement consacrent des temps très importants de leur vie de retraité aux services des autres, soient considérés comme des “visiteurs” en franchisant avec leur voiture le contrôle. On constate que le paragraphe 10 limite à présent le temps de stationnement de 8h A I7h pour les visiteurs et que le paragraphe 15 accentue cette disposition pour les retraités.

Les retraités peuvent participer aussi aux activités de diverses sections de Sport et Loisirs du BIT dont les horaires dépassent le créneau proposé. Nous nous félicitons que les retraités puissent y participer ce qui maintient un lien entre des générations de fonctionnaires. Il ne faudrait pas que les dispositions mises en place et futures éliminent les retraités de ces activités, du fait de contraintes d’horaire. Certains retraités viennent au BIT pour des travaux de recherche et contribuent à écrire l’histoire du BIT. Nous en publions régulièrement des articles dans notre bulletin Message. A l’occasion du Centenaire nous avons reçu des dizaines de contributions. Ces retraités souhaitent bénéficier de possibilités d’accès au BIT moins contraignantes que celles prévues dans la Directive ainsi que de pouvoir utiliser plus aisément l’Intranet.

Nous avons déjà eu l’occasion d’évoquer avec le service de Sécurité du BIT les problèmes liés à l’accès au bâtiment des conjoints de retraités et de membres de famille s’occupant de parents Ages et dépendants. Peu de progrès ont été faits et les dispositions récentes ne vont qu’accentuer les contraintes d’accès au bâtiment pour se rendre A la Caisse maladie est parfois problématique.

Aussi, le Bureau de la Section des anciens souhaite que les dispositions trop contraignantes soient revues au regard des relations que les retraités ont pu depuis un siècle entretenir avec l’Organisation ou ils ont travaillé. Un dialogue devrait pouvoir être instauré avec l’administration afin que les questions liées à l’accès des retraités au bâtiment et à certains services puissent être discutées avant que des décisions ne soient prises et imposées au détriment d’eux.

Recevez, Monsieur le Directeur général, l’expression de mes sentiments les meilleurs.

Frangois Kientzler Secrétaire exécutif du Bureau de la Section des anciens

CC
Mark Levin, Directeur, HRD
Catherine Comte, Présidente, Syndicat du personnel de I’OIT
Fiona Rolian, Co-administrateur, ILO friends Facebook group Gerry
Rodgers, retraité

Car Parking Policy at ILO Headquarters – from 10 January 2019

(Extract from Directive IGDS Number 533 (Version 1))
ILO retirees may only use the ILO car parks when issued with a visitor’s pass, in order to park their vehicles while visiting the ILO during working hours or for a specific event. Such vehicles may not be left in the car parks other than during these times. Visitors’ passes shall be valid from 8am to 5pm.

Any person who contravenes these rules will be requested to comply with the rules without delay. If he/she fails to do so, his/her vehicle may be immobilized or impounded at the owner’s expense.

Any vehicle owner who fails to respect the terms above may be subject to a penalty (wheel clamp or impoundment of the vehicle at the owner’s cost and risk). The ILO declines any responsibility for any damage caused during the impoundment or clamping of any vehicle in violation of these rules.

Charges and fees

Impoundment of a vehicle that is causing an obstruction, is badly parked or unauthorized

According to the official scale of charges of the Geneva authorities through the following link:

http://www.lexfind.ch/dta/6216/3/rsg_H1_05p08.html.1.html

Wheel clamping of a vehicle that is causing an obstruction, is badly parked or unauthorized

CHF80 basic fee

19 January 2019

Tuesday, 22 January 2019: Two events at ILO headquarters

Category : Archives

The Protocol Service of the ILO has the honour to forward an invitation from the ILO Director-General to the following events, which will take place on Tuesday, 22 January 2019, at ILO headquarters in Geneva:

the launch of the report of the ILO Global Commission on the Future of Work, at 10:30 a.m. in the ILO Governing Body Room (R3-south) [Retired colleagues who are in Geneva are kindly invited to follow the event from Room II (R3, south), where there will be live relay, so as to give constituents and invited guests priority access to the Governing Body room. The event can also be followed through the ILO website: https://intranet.ilo.org or www.ilo.org], and

the official ILO Centenary launch ceremony, at 4:00 p.m. in the ILO Colonnade (R2).

Launch of the report of the ILO Global Commission on the Future of Work:

The report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work will be available on the ILO website (https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/future-of-work/brighter-future/lang–en/index.htm) as from 10.30 a.m. (Geneva time) on 22 January 2019. Copies of the report (in the seven ILO working languages) will be available in the Governing Body room.

After the presentation of the report of the Global Commission at 10:30 a.m., the floor will be opened for questions.

Please note that a high level of attendance is expected, so participants are advised to arrive at the ILO at least 15 minutes before the start of the event. The event will be retransmitted in room II.

The official ILO Centenary launch (ILO Colonnade – R2):

The official ILO Centenary launch will commence at 4:00 p.m. in the ILO Colonnade with short introductory statements from the ILO Director-General and the Officers of the Governing Body. The ceremony will be followed by a reception.

Kindly note that access to ILO headquarters will be through either door 4 (R2-South) or door 5 (R2-North), on presentation of a valid ILO badge or photo ID and a copy of the invitation below.

Please confirm your attendance by 18 January 2019 at the following email address, indicating your arrival time: protocole@ilo.org

ILO Protocol

27 November 2018

Latest on the UN Pension Fund

Category : Archives

65^th Pension Board meeting in Rome

Soon after the publication of the previous update in Message 63, the UN Joint Staff Pension Board met in Rome from 26 July to 3 August 2018 to discuss the current situation of the Pension Fund, and in particular, the Office of Internal Oversight’s report on the governance of the Fund (see below).

Office of Internal Oversight Services Governance Audit

Of the thirteen OIOS recommendations, the Board accepted six and rejected seven, the most notable of which are mentioned below. The recommendations and the Board’s comments on these are taken from document A/73/341 to the 73^rd session of the UN General Assembly. The paper was discussed by the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) in November 2018 (https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/gaab4301.doc.htm).

Notable recommendations rejected by the Board :

Proposed changes to the representation and rotation of member organizations on the Fund Board. The Board rejected the recommendation as currently formulated and stated that it intends to establish a working group to “consider issues of participation, rotation and fair and equitable representation, without any presumption of outcome and taking into account the Board’s previous review on the matter.”
Proposed separation of the function of the Board Secretary and the Fund’s Chief Executive Officer, and creation of a new independent Board Secretariat. The Board indicated that it considers the creation of an additional body to serve as Board Secretariat to be unnecessary and could have bu8dgetary implications. The Board stated that it would establish mechanisms to ensure the proper segregation of roles, such as in relation to the setting of the Board’s agenda.
The proposal that the Board should determine the number of seats to be allotted to retiree representatives and facilitate their direct election as full Board members with voting rights. Currently representatives from the Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants (FAFICS) defend the interests of retirees at the Board and fully participate in the Board with the exception that they do not have a vote. The Board rejected this recommendation because it would undermine the tripartite nature of the Board and because retirees are not affiliated with member organizations. Concerns were also expressed about the potential cost and the doubt that direct elections would in reality improve retiree representation.

See document A/73/341 OIOS Report to the UN General Assembly on the Governance Audit (http://www.undocs.org/A/73/341), document A/73/9 Report of the UNJSPF Board’s Report on the OIOS Governance Audit (https://undocs.org/en/A/73/9) and OIOS’ comments on the UNJSPF Board’s Report (https://oios.un.org/resources/2018/11/bBzlau6P.pdf) for further information.

Financial health of the Fund

Following the meeting in Rome the Board issued a communiqué, which confirmed the information given in our previous article: that the Fund is currently in sound financial health. The Fund assets at 31 December 2017 were $64.1 billion with a small actuarial deficit of 0.05% of pensionable remuneration. The investment performance for 2017 was extremely strong (due to buoyant financial markets during that year but which are unlikely to continue in the medium-term), achieving a nominal investment return of 18.6%, thus exceeding the 3.5% real rate of return needed to ensure the Fund’s long-term solvency. Now a mature Fund, the ratio of beneficiaries to active participants is growing and benefits exceeded contributions by some $272 million in 2017. It should also be noted that the number of active participants actually fell in 2017 by 1.2% as against the actuarial assumption for 2017 of a 0.5% increase. The Board is aware that there is no room for complacency and that it is more vital than ever that the investment performance meets or exceeds the target of 3.5% annual real rate of return.

Operational issues

The Board stated that following the clearance of backlogs between August 2015 and the second half of 2017, IPAS is now functioning satisfactorily albeit with room for improvement. Nevertheless, only 62% – against a target of 75% – of cases had been processed in 2017 within 15 working days of the receipt of complete documents.

Human Resources

In the last update we advised that the CEO, Sergio Arvizu, had been on long-term sick leave since August 2017. It has now been confirmed that he will leave the UN on 7 January 2019. The Deputy CEO was due to retire at the end of August 2018 but was extended up to 31 December 2018 while the process to find his replacement was underway. Unfortunately, following allegations by the UN participants’ representatives of irregularities in the recruitment procedures and the selected candidate’s qualification for the post, the candidate withdrew his candidacy. At the time of writing we do not know where the process to replace the CEO and Deputy CEO currently stands.

7 November 2018

Taxation (continued): Withholding tax in France from January 2019

Category : Archives

In the previous Message (No. 63-2018) we raised the issue of changes to be made from January 2019 for residents in France who are liable to income tax. Over the summer there were concerns about the state’s technical ability to implement the proposed reform, but a final decision has now been made that it will in fact be implemented correctly.

For employees, tax will be deducted at source by the employer who already pays the many employer and employee social security contributions, and who will now also have the new obligation to retain the tax that the employee owes to the Tax Authorities. But since retirees no longer have an employer, their tax will be directly deducted from their bank account. This should not significantly change the prevailing practice for the majority of retired taxpayers who have already opted for a monthly payment system. The deduction will be made over 12 months and cash payments will be prohibited above an annual tax of 300 euros.

The amount of the tax that will be levied monthly is shown on the tax notice which should have been received at the end of the summer of 2018 and payments will begin in January 2019. However, this does not change the obligation to make the annual tax declaration in spring 2019. Taxpayers will continue to receive their pre-filled declaration by mail or will be able to consult it on their personal space which they may access on the Ministry’s website (http://www.impots.gouv.fr). By the end of the summer at the latest, or very quickly for those who make the declaration by Internet, taxpayers will know the amount of the effective tax for 2019 and the projected tax for 2020. The Tax Authorities will make a refund if too much has been paid or if requested to repay the balance. The Tax Authorities are encouraging taxpayers to create their personal space on the internet to do the entire administrative process: declaration, payments, possible changes, etc. But the paper declaration remains possible even if the goal is to have zero paper.

We advise you to read the information sheet attached to your tax notice which you should have received at the end of the summer of 2018 and which gives detailed information on the questions that you may have on this subject. A manager from the Bellegarde sur Valserine Tax Authorities will speak at the ILO Pre-retirement Seminar, Tuesday 13 to Friday November 16 2018, during a session focusing on taxation in France. Please also be aware that it is always possible to contact the Tax Authorities for your own area for additional information on your particular situation.

6 November 2018

Council of the Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants (FAFICS) (FFAO, Rome, 20-25 July 2018)

Category : Archives

As is the case every year during the summer period, representatives of the International Civil Servants Associations, many spread around the world, and members of FAFICS, met in Rome. The Section of Former ILO Officials does not participate but is represented by AAFI-AFICS Geneva. François Kientzler, Executive Secretary and Abdoulaye Diallo, Deputy Executive Secretary, are members of the AAFI-AFICS Board and represent the Section. We cannot be nominees for the AAFI-AFICS delegation to the FAFICS Council as only elected members (natural persons) can be selected. We could participate as observers but this choice has not been made in recent years given the past dysfunctions of FAFICS.

However, we would like to bring to your attention information which we have learned through AAFI-AFICS on the results of issues which are of regular concern to the Section. With regard to the Pension Fund, AAFI-AFICS delegates were aware of an OIOS (Office of Internal Oversight) audit on the governance of the Fund. Some of the recommendations proposed go against the interests of FAFICS and call into question its ability to represent all the pensioners of the Common System. Representatives of FAFICS currently participate in the work of the Pension Board (although they do not have a vote). A recommendation by OIOS proposes the direct election of retiree representatives and thus dismisses the representatives of FAFICS; such a proposal is not acceptable to FAFICS which would thereby be stripped of one of its essential missions. Another proposal concerns the representation of the various International Organizations that are members of the Pension Board Committee: that this representation should be reviewed in favour of the United Nations, which would then have an absolute majority in the Pension Committee, and smaller Organizations no longer have a representative. (See article on the meeting of the Rome Pension Committee following the meeting of FAFICS).

The respective presentations by the Deputy CEO (Acting CEO) in the absence of the CEO for a year and by the Representative of the UN Secretary-General (RSG) for the investments of the assets of the Pension Fund were appreciated by the delegates because they provided, respectively, positive information regarding the management of the Fund and investments. The result of the most recent actuarial study shows a healthy fund, despite the noticeable effect of retirees’ increasing longevity.

The issues concerning retirees’ health protection remain focused on a transfer to national regimes of the country of residence, a proposal discussed within the “Standing Committee on After Health Insurance and Long Term Care”, known as ASHI. But for the representatives of the insured in this Committee such a decision by the organs of the UN General Assembly would leave many pensioners without coverage, because many countries do not have national health insurance systems.

Delegates to the FAFICS Council also discussed the Federation’s internal rules of operation. Proposals have been submitted; but delegates called for wider consultation among all members, particularly with regard to the number of Vice-Presidents and the rules for the examination of nominations. Notably Marco Breschi, retiree from the FAO Rome, was elected President of FAFICS and Pierre Sayour, retired ILO official, was elected Secretary General (both of whom are new people). Representatives of the Bureau of the Section had the opportunity to meet with them this summer and discuss their concerns with them.

Additional information can be found on the respective websites of AAFI-AFICS Geneva and FAFICS. To access these, go to the Section’s web site
(Http://www.anciens-bit-ilo.org); see pages under “Activities, Relations with AAFI-AFICS and FAFICS” where links allow you to enter these two sites.

6 November 2018

Meeting with the Regional union delegates (Geneva, Friday, October 26, 2018)

Category : Archives

On 26 October, François Kientzler, Executive Secretary, and Abdoulaye Diallo, Deputy Executive Secretary, met with regional ILO Staff Union representatives (see below) in the presence of Catherine Comte, Union President. The delegates were in Geneva to attend the Union’s GA but also for working meetings with the Staff Union Committee and with the Director-General.

We wanted to meet with the delegates because we are concerned about, and attentive to, the situation of pensioners in the regions, and in particular that of retired local staff. A round table discussion allowed some crucial points to be raised, such as problems related to the delay in reimbursement of health costs but also the non-recognition of the SHIF insurance card by hospitals and health centres in numerous countries. This card includes a toll free number but in fact the number is not free in Africa. Retirees in Africa also have difficulty in accessing the offices where they worked; it would be desirable for an access card to be issued to them, in the same way as at Headquarters in Geneva. There are often serious delays in determining pension entitlements; the Section, in coordination with the Staff Union Committee, is available to help speed up the procedures with the Pension Fund.

The Section’s Executive Secretary hoped that, as is already the case in Dakar and Lima, retirees’ sections could be set up within the ILO Local or Regional Trade Unions. This would help maintain relations between local retirees; the lifetime membership fee for local staff is US $ 50. The Section’s website, which is regularly updated, allows retirees around the world to stay in touch. Visiting the site – no password is needed to access it – convinced delegates of its usefulness and the value of its content for retirees. The Geneva-managed site (http://www.anciens-bit-ilo.org) is ready to receive information from the regions in order to give it the necessary publicity. Former civil servants residing in the regions may also join a national union which brings together all retirees of the various international organizations. These national unions are generally adherents to FAFICS (Federation of International Civil Servants Associations).

Regional Stewards:

Africa: Roger Mavinga Nkambu (Abidjan)
Americas: Maria Elena Lopez Torres (Lima)
Asia and the Pacific: Razi Mujtaba Haider (Bangkok)
Europe and the Arab States: Rania Bikhazi (Europe and Middle East)

1 November 2018

In saying a few words about the Brussels office … you could almost write a book! / Anita COLIGNON

Category : Centenary - Testimonials

From 1973, when this beautiful mansion located outside the centre of Brussels was purchased, up until 2008 when we retired, the small office team of 4 to 5 people, (who had known the directors: Mr. Wilhelm Störmann, Mr. Raymond Goosse, Mr. Gérard Fonteneau, Mr. Marcel Bourlard and Mr. Eddy Laurijssen), was multifunctional. Between the various administrative and financial tasks, etc., we also had to go and buy a small dog (a poodle) for one of the directors of the ILO in Geneva, fetch the bag of the DG Mr. Michel Hansenne at Zaventem airport, queue at the post office to buy stamps or go to the bank (yes, there was no one else to do all this).

Of course, we didn’t lack for work because the computer era did not yet exist in our office and we had to manage with our big IBM typewriters. Our contacts with the European Institutions, the Government, the Trade Unions, the organization of study trips for groups of Chinese from the Turin Centre, the participation in conferences at the ILO stand as well as the sale of publications at the Book fair where King Baudouin visited us; all this was done with joy and excitement but everything always went off wonderfully. And I nearly forgot to mention the pleasure of welcoming our colleagues from the Geneva office, who always remembered us by offering us good Swiss chocolates!

We also laughed a lot because in this small office there was, for the most part, a great atmosphere and it was with pleasure that we went to work every day for 30 years.

We have fond memories of this happy time which we will never forget!

31 October 2018

The ILO Training Department 1960-1990 / George Kanawaty

Category : Centenary - Testimonials

In 1952, the ILO lunched a major field programme assisting member States in establishing centres for vocational training. This was followed three years later by another programme in productivity improvement through management training. Both programmes witnessed a rapid expansion for two reasons. First, many countries in the developing world had recently acceded to independence and human resources development was a top priority; Secondly, The UN system had just established a “Special Fund” aimed at financing technical cooperation programmes, the Fund later became “United Nations Development Programme” or UNDP. Hence to finance its training operations, the ILO could resort to UNDP, if financing was available. In the early 1960’s, both activities in vocational and management were put under one umbrella that of a “Human Resources Development” Department later changed to “Training Department”.

Pre-occupation with field operations was pre-dominant from the 1950’s to the early 1970’s. Headquarters staff was mainly involved in supporting field activities.

In the early 1970’s, the focus changed to make the training activities more relevant to changing needs. Thus apart from field operations, the Training activities encompassed other means of action such as research, publications, meeting and conferences. Activities were conducted through four branches, vocational training, management development, vocational rehabilitation and a newly created training policies branch, which apart from advising governments on national policies in human resources development acted as a think tank to steer the department activities in new directions such as those experienced as a result of structural adjustment or advances in technology.

New Directions:

In vocational training, modular training curricula were introduced, this allowed flexibility in the shift from one occupation to another, hence, for example, a trained electrician can change occupation to a specialist in car electric systems by attending a couple of training modules in that area. Six persons at headquarters worked on the development of training modules thoroughly illustrated for various occupations, financed by Germany, Sweden and Switzerland, who wanted these modules for their own proper use as well.

In management training, research led to the establishment of a new vibrant programme for small business based on new premises, linking training to financing and to advisory services on the spot, and developing specific training programmes for various sectors, such as small contractors, small retailors etc. In the management area, rather than concentrating on the industrial sector as was the case, training was undertaken for managers in sectors such as construction, transport and services, all such sectors that were expanding in a period of development and adjustment. To take one example, when the famine hit Ethiopia in the 1980’s, Germany provided 500 Mercedes trucks to ferry food to the interior while the ILO management development branch provided the logistic expertise needed to decide on routing, setting up fuelling, storage and maintenance areas, and fleet management. Similarly, management training in construction and transport were introduced with great success and financed by a multitude of sources.

In vocational rehabilitation, the term “ handicapped” used only for the physically handicapped, was redefined to encompass other symptoms such as alcoholics and those afflicted by drug addiction. This resulted in an expansion of activities and sources of funds readily available to finance them.

All these new directions, led to a vast expansion of the activities of the department which in the 1980’s became the largest ILO department or at least on par with the Employment Department, the other major ILO activity. In the 1980’s the training department employed 100 staff at headquarters and some 400 experts and consultants working in some 80 different countries.

Other activities presenting current pre-occupations:

It may come as a surprise to some that current challenges such as environmental issues, equality, changing working methods as a result of artificial intelligence and new work organization and job design were addressed by the department some 40 years ago.

Thus, the department introduced environmental training in its management programmes. This was not introduced as a separate programme, but as apart and parcel of existing programmes, for example, in production management training, introducing the notion of better job design so as to reduce waste, the treatment and utilisation of waste, in marketing, better packaging that are environmentally friendly and avoiding the throw away spirit in advertising and so on. In Equality, a professional was appointed at headquarters whose function among others encompassed the vetting of all new projects to make sure that equality concerns are addressed and to include equality as an evaluation criterion. In artificial intelligence, the department undertook a three years research to uncover what six leading countries in that area were doing in education and training for artificial intelligence and to provide guidance in that field. Two International meetings on training for artificial intelligence were held. The result of that work financed by Germany was published. In new forms of work organization, Norway financed a three years experiment in transferring management working methods based on Norwegian, Swedish and Japanese experiences to two countries, India and Tanzania. The results were published in the ILO review.

Funding:

The training Department in the 1980 believed in diversifying its sources of funding rather than relying soley on the ILO and the UNDP. Contacts were established with a number of donors. As a result, no less than ten governments contributed directly to the training department activities, be it in research or direct assistance to various countries. Furthermore, the department pioneered a new approach that targeted World Bank funded projects. To comply with the Bank’s preconditions, it entered into competitive bidding against various well-established consulting and training firms. Preparing each bid required an expenditure of $20,000 to $30,000. If won this could amount to $2 to 4million dollars project, for which the ILO earned 10 per cent management fees. Entering bidding operations went on for a year, until the official green light was given by the top ILO management. This prompted other departments then followed that lead.

Some may wonder if these expanded activities and staff costs may not have constituted a burden on the ILO budget. In fact the opposite is true. The Training Department was a money earner for the ILO. To finance its staff, and other activities such as meetings, missions and so on, the ILO allocated $5 million yearly to the Department. The department generated over $ 8 million in revenue yearly. The volume of technical cooperation projects amounted to around $ 75 million per year, of which the ILO took as management fees anywhere between 10 and 13 per cent. This generated around $ 7 million as a conservative figure. But the department produced six of the ten best sellers of the ILO including numbers 1, 2 and 3, best sellers all in the management field. Annual sales revenue of these publications amounted to $ one million. The number one best seller was a 500 pages book with over 100 illustrations, called “Introduction to Work Study” of which George Kanawaty is the author of the revised editiion and deals with practical approaches to improving efficiency at work coupled with guidance to improving job satisfaction. That book sold some 300,000 copies. A record for any UN publication was translated in 8 languages including Russian and Chinese and printed under lLO license in 7 other countries. That book alone, which was updated a couple of times to include issues related to computerisation and robotics, generated over $12 million income to the ILO.

The end

In 1990, a new Director-General took over who decided to shift ILO emphasis to other activities, mainly the Declaration. This year coincided with my own retirement. The Training Department was then dismantled with its various components either eliminated, vastly reduced in size or so much merged with other activities, to make it un-recognisable. And so the curtain fell on the largest ILO department.

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The author, George Kanawaty, after serving nine years in ILO technical cooperation programs in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, became chief of the Management Development programmes at Headquarters from 1972-1980 and Director of the Training Department from 1980-1990.

31 October 2018

Happy memories / Hans Hammar

Category : Centenary - Testimonials

100 years is an impressive age for an international organisation, and there are many reasons why the ILO has reached it: an important objective (social justice), a good structure (tripartism) and competent delegates and staff.

This is the moment to recall two great personalities in the ILO, who both had it all – competence, wit, charm and humour – namely Gullmar Bergenström and Francis Blanchard.

Gullmar, an impresssive 2 meter tall Swede with monocle and moustache, was the Employers` Vice Chairman of the Governing Body from 1969 to 1980. He led the unruly Employers with a firm hand through the difficult years of the cold war, and worked well, but independently, with three great Directors-General – Morse, Jenks and Blanchard. He convinced Jenks and then Blanchard to create a new employers’ program, combining relations and technical cooperation, and of course a corresponding, and bigger, program for the workers. Jenks defended the proposal, as a logical consequence of tripartism – against the communist countries, but with the support of the (then) ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, social democratic). Blanchard took the organisational decisions and obtained the budgetary resources.

These were the difficult years of the debate on the “Structure of the ILO”. The debate tried to satisfy the communist countries in general and their “employers” in particular; the latter wanted to have guaranteed seats in the Employers’ Group of the Governing Body. In a GB election in the 1970ies, the communist employers only received around 30 votes, but you needed around 100 to be elected. The Soviet employers’ delegate, the charming Mr. Polyakov, asked for the floor and said angrily: “Mr. Bergenström, we the socialist employers have a democratic right to be elected to the Governing Body!” Gullmar took off his monocle and replied calmly: “Mr. Polyakov, let me inform you – with my somewhat longer experience of democracy than you have – that you have a democratic right to STAND for elections, not to be elected!” Mr. Polyakov was not convinced…

The fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 changed it all: now the Russian and other East European employers – as well as Chinese! – are elected democratically to the Governing Body. And the staff of their new organisations are trained by ACTEMP (Bureau for Employers’ Activities)…

It was a pleasure to work under Francis Blanchard, competent, extrovert, charming – and witty! In 1982 he accompanied the Pope John Paul II during the Conference to visit the three Groups, separately. Three catholic secretaries of ACTEMP had asked to be allowed to attend. When the Pope came to them, he turned to Mr. Blanchard, and asked: “M. le Directeur Général, ces charmantes jeunes dames, est-ce qu’elles sont vraiment des employeurs?” Mr. Blanchard replied, without hesitation: “Oui, Votre Saintété, des employeurs clandestins!” The Pope smiled, and blessed the ladies…

Those were the days…

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