European and International Affairs / SP and the International Organisations / BIAC / BIAC position on policy responses to the crisis addressed to the OECD Labour Ministerial  
Print

BIAC position on policy responses to the crisis addressed to the OECD Labour Ministerial

 

 

The OECD Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting held in Paris on 28-29 September under the title “Tackling the Jobs Crisis” has been accompanied by the OECD Ministerial Policy Forum on “How can Labour Market and Social Policies best help workers weather the storm of the crisis?”. Both the representatives of the employers (BIAC) and employees (TUAC) were invited to present their positions on policy responses to the crisis. In the BIAC delegation headed by Mr. Tadahiro Asami, BIAC Secretary General, delegates of BIAC Member federations (MEDEF, Confindustria, BDA, Svenskt Näringsliv, DI, VOSZ and SP CR) were represented.

The BIAC comments were delivered along:

  • the present BIAC position on policy responses to the crisis;
  • the great uncertainty that still remains regarding the crisis and continued employment impacts raising issues of concern that have not yet been answered, and questions regarding policy going forward.

In this context, BIAC continues to emphasise five key principles to guide economic recovery in support of job growth:

  • Actions must support job creation;
  • Employability must be emphasised over job security;
  • The most vulnerable must be protected;
  • Social dialogue is necessary;
  • Protectionism is not the answer.

The OECD is uniquely placed to support policy considerations and the actions by governments with a multidisciplinary analysis of issues and factors impacting employment and social protection system.

Mr. Tadahiro Asami, BIAC Secretary General, mentioned BIAC membership survey main findings launched this summer in his intervention:

  • Business has appreciated the quick and concerted action of governments to implement stimulus measures.   
  • Access to credit remains a major issue for companies, and in particular for SMEs, and thus financial stabilization must continue to be a top priority for governments.   
  • Companies have made it a priority to retain jobs where possible through measures such as reduced working hours, work sharing, extending unpaid leave and production cut backs.  This has been possible in part due to stimulus measures such as income supports, reduction of non-wage labour costs, tax relief and generally extension of unemployment benefits. Labour market rigidities and non-wage labour costs continue to pose significant barriers to employment creation – a continued structural reform is necessary. 
  • Government measures should target the most vulnerable, in particular youth.  

BIAC Policy Paper [pdf 127 kb]

Vladimíra Drbalová
International Organisations and EU Affairs

 

 

Published: Sep. 29, 2009