Labour Ministry to lead ILO’s “Future of Work” Initiative in Sri Lanka
View(s):The Ministry of Labour and Trade Union Relations is playing the lead role in the Future of Work (FOW) Initiative launched by International Labour Organisation (ILO) last year, and its implementation here. Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Jayaratne, speaking at a recent workshop, said that the Ministry will take the lead to develop a road map to match the competencies of the country to the international standards to also ensure a productive labour force in Sri Lanka. “This Future of Work Consultation is an important opportunity for the tripartite constituents and ILO to discuss the way forward in overcoming the challenges faced by the country,” he added.
He was speaking at a National Consultation to introduce the FOW initiative with the relevant stakeholders on May 24 in Colombo. It was organised by the Ministry of Labour and Trade Union Relations, supported by the ILO Office, here. The FOW Initiative was launched by the ILO Director-General at June 2015 ILO summit. The goal of the Future of Work initiative is to generate a shared understanding of the forces transforming the world of work and to equip governments, employers and workers with the knowledge, ideas and policy alternatives to advance the cause of social justice as the ILO enters its second century of work.
Introducing the FOW Initiative, Donglin Li, the ILO Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, told the consultation that more than 60 countries are currently planning consultations on the Future of Work initiative with workers and employers as well as academics, think tanks, businesses and civil society. He also stressed that Sri Lanka is the first country in the region to start the national dialogue on this initiative, and it will generate new knowledge and important insights as well as valuable ideas and solutions. Kanishka Weerasinghe, Director General, Employers’
Federation of Ceylon (EFC), stressed that the time has arrived to discuss and deal with the FOW in a competitive and changing world of work. He assured that the EFC would extend its fullest cooperation to the Government to achieve the goals related to this initiative. K. Marimuttu, Senior Vice President, Ceylon Workers Congress, stated that the role of the state and the employers needs to be revisited, and more attention is needed to protect workers in the future. He also noted that “any dialogue on the FOW cannot ignore the need for policy reconsiderations and a review of the roles of all stakeholders, including the Government as well as ILO.”