ILO wants global wage rise, Amnesty urges support for ICC
From Collins Olayinka, Abuja
THE International Labour Organisation (ILO) has expressed support for increment in minimum wage worldwide as a veritable tool for cushioning the effects of the ravaging global economic downturn.
Latest report from the body adds that the global growth in real wages slowed dramatically in 2008 as a result of the economic crisis and is expected to drop even further this year despite signs of a possible economic recovery.
A statement made available to The Guardian from its Geneva, Switzerland headquarters, informed that the development has cast a major doubt on the ability of various recovery plans put in place to aid the revitalisation of the global economy.
The report which describes minimum wages as "an important policy tool for social protection", calls for the involvement of social partners in setting the level and proposes that minimum wages be combined with other income support measures and/or tax reductions.
Meanwhile, the Amnesty International has urged African government representatives meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to reaffirm their support for the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Director, ILO Conditions of Work and Employment Programme, Manuela Tomei, and lead author of the report, observed that "minimum wages, social dialogue and collective bargaining are all ways of avoiding deflationary wage spirals and their impact on society."
The current deterioration in wages follows a decade of wage moderation before the global economic crisis. The report considers that years of stagnating wages relative to productivity gains - together with growing inequalities - have contributed to the crisis by limiting the ability of many households to increase consumption other than through debt.
"In the future, restoring the link between productivity growth and wage increases is essential for economic and social sustainability. Companies should be able to achieve competitiveness through rising productivity rather than by cutting labour costs, and workers should have sufficient bargaining position to defend their wages. This will go a long way towards addressing income inequalities," Tomei said.
According to the new report, one particular concern about the impact of the crisis on wages is the extent to which wage-arrears have increased. It says that in countries such as Ukraine and Russia where this is already a problem, it is likely that the situation may have got worse as a result of the crisis.
The report also says that excessive bonuses, unrelated to actual performance, contributed to the crisis by distorting incentives in the financial sector and promoting short-term risk taking.
Tomei maintained: "The continued deterioration of real wages worldwide raises serious questions about the true extent of an economic recovery, especially if government rescue packages are phased out too early. Wage deflation deprives national economies of much needed demand and seriously affects confidence."
The global job watch body said the "Global Wage Report: 2009 Update" will be discussed at the ILO Governing Body in Geneva from November 5-20 as well as the implementation of the Global Jobs Pact adopted at the International Labour Conference in June. The Pact calls for measures to maintain employment and avoid the damaging consequences of deflationary wage spirals and worsening working conditions.
Amnesty International, in a memorandum published this week, called on African governments to clearly state that they would prevent any officials accused of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes from seeking safe haven in their countries.
"Only justice can lay a firm foundation for lasting peace," said Kolawole Olaniyan, Africa Legal Adviser at Amnesty International.
"More than a decade ago, African states were amongst the strongest supporters of the proposal to establish a permanent international criminal court that would be able to investigate and prosecute those responsible for some of the worst crimes in the world - they must renew this commitment, as the survival of the ICC as an effective international body depends on this," Olaniyan said.
"African victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes are some of the chief beneficiaries of the ICC - the ICC must be fully supported so that it can continue its important work on their behalf," he added.
The call came after Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir cancelled scheduled visits to South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria and Venezuela, when it became clear that he could face arrest and be surrendered to the ICC, particularly in light of African civil society protests to the visits.
In its memorandum, Amnesty International urged African states to strongly defend the provisions of the ICC that exclude any claimed immunity for state officials - regardless of rank, including heads of state - from prosecution for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
"Every single legal instrument adopted since the Second World War by the international community has rejected immunity from prosecution for any government official charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes," he said.
