Toronto, Canada, 26 October 2011 – Kevin Coon, Labour & Employment Partner at Baker & McKenzie LLP, chaired an employer delegation of experts from around the globe at the United Nations International Labour Organization’s (“ILO”) “Tripartite Meeting of Experts on Working Time Arrangements,” held October 17-21 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The ILO states that this meeting is the first international policy discussion of working time issues in nearly 20 years. The purpose of the meeting was to review and advise on modern working-time arrangements, which includes identifying the main policy issues that would need to be addressed to develop future ILO guidance in this area. Working time arrangements include hours of work, annual leaves, part-time work, job sharing, flextime training and reduced hours. Most significantly, the experts reviewed measures used in the workplaces and put in place by national government to respond to the impact of the global economic crisis on jobs and sustainability of enterprises. At a time of continuing high unemployment, the issues are of critical importance as evidenced by the G20 request for the ILO to identify job crisis measures. These crisis response measures are an important element noted in the ILO Report.
Mr. Coon was appointed to be the employer representative from the United States Council for International Business and the Employer Spokesperson for the event.
“This was a unique opportunity to review and advise upon the existing standards but more importantly to advise on the flexibility required by companies to meet increasing competitive and productivity pressures, help shape standards regarding working time arrangements, which potentially impact many of the firm’s clients in a variety of jurisdictions across the globe,” said Mr. Coon.
The Tripartite Experts Meeting concluded with the development of a concise plan of action for the ILO to undertake. The Chair of this Experts Meeting, who also Chairs the Governing Body of the ILO, described the Action Plan as groundbreaking as it sets out a clear, concise and focused set of priorities for the work of the ILO. The Meeting of the Experts also considered the relevance of the international labour standards that address working time arrangements, and particularly, Conventions 1 and 30. Convention 1 was the first international labour standard promulgated by the ILO in 1919.
Mr. Coon is a member of Baker & McKenzie’s Labour & Employment Law Practice Group. Mr. Coon has served on employer delegations to the United Nations International Labour Organization, served on the Committee on the Application of International Labour Standards, the Committee reviewing the issues of the Informal Economy, on the Tripartite Meeting on Corporate Social Responsibility and on the Drafting Committee that produced the International Labour Standard on HIV/AIDS in the World of Work.
Mr. Coon advises corporations, government and not for profit organizations on compliance related to labor standards, business and human rights, ethics, corporate social responsibility and matters related to doing business in a global economy. More information about his practice is available at:
http://www.bakermckenzie.com/KevinCoon/
The ILO is the specialized United Nations agency responsible for promulgating, promoting and monitoring international labour standards. It is the only “tripartite” international agency that brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers to jointly shape policies and programs.
Additional information about the event is available at:
http://www.ilo.org/travail/whatwedo/eventsandmeetings/lang--en/WCMS_161422/index.htm