File picture of Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav | Photo Credit: PTI
The G-20’s Employment Working Group (EWG) will discuss labour, employment and social issues to develop a sustainable, balanced, inclusive and job-rich growth, said Union Labor Minister Bhupender Yadav here on Monday. Representatives of governments, employers and employees of the G-20 countries will attend the two-day meeting of the EWG, to be held in Jodhpur between 2 and 4 of February.
Briefing reporters about the meeting, Mr. Yadav said the importance of the EWG lies in the fact that the G-20 countries represent close to 85% of the world GDP, three-fourths of the global trade and about two-thirds of the world population. “EWG has a mandate of addressing priority labor, employment and social issues for strong, sustainable, balanced, and job-rich growth for all,” he said.
The second meeting of the EWG will be held in Guwahati between April 3 and 5. The third meeting will be held in Geneva in June and the fourth meeting will be held in Indore in July. Addressing global skill gaps, gig and platform economy, as well as social protection and sustainable financing of social security are the three thematic areas on which the deliberations will take place during the meeting.
Mr. Yadav said the expected outcomes of the deliberations will include an international skill gap-mapping portal for assessment of skill demand, a framework for skills and qualifications harmonization with common taxonomies and extending social protection coverage to the gig and platform workers. It will also work for enhanced national statistical capabilities to capture gig and platform work and aid in effective data collection. The meeting will also come up with policy options based on social insurance and tax-financed schemes for sustainable financing of social security.
The country is hosting more than 73 delegates from 19 countries, European Union, nine guest countries and nine regional and international organizations who will participate in the meeting of the EWG.
Retrenchments in IT sector under government radar
Mr. Yadav said the Center had noticed the reports about retrenchments in the IT sector. He said Union Labor Secretary Arti Ahuja had sent a notice to Amazon based on the reports and she also had a discussion with the company. “It was found that they were not retrenchments,” he added. He said the Center is aware of the reports about retrenchments and will look into it to help workers.
