Global Deal Conference

This high-level event, organised in partnership with the Open Society Foundations, will focus on the critical role of essential workers in supporting economies, societies and businesses. It will bring together international organisations, governments, business leaders and worker representatives to discuss practical changes to improve the working lives of both formal and informal essential workers.

The conference offers an opportunity for policy makers and stakeholders to engage and to find solutions together, highlighting examples of practices that have been shown to work during the pandemic, but that need to be sustained in the longer term. This includes measures to secure fair and decent working conditions, to access social protection, to improve health and safety at the workplace and to end work-related violence and harassment.

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Interpretation will be available in English, French and Spanish for all sessions. All sessions will be moderated by Sabina Dewan, President and Executive Director, JustJobs Network.

Agenda

Day 1 – Wednesday 6 April

OPENING REMARKS: Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General, OECD – To be confirmed

PANEL 1 – FAIR PAY AND DECENT WORKING CONDITIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic underlines the crucial role that essential workers play in supporting economies, societies and businesses. It is also a reminder that their remuneration does not always reflect the value of their work, putting the livelihood of many workers at risk. This panel will highlight how social dialogue has been mobilised to secure a fairer remuneration and decent working conditions.

Speakers:

• Richard Lochhead, Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, Scotland

• Mark Mittelhauser, Associate Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, United States

• Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation

• Åsa Domeij, Head of Sustainability, Axfood

• Janhavi Dave, International Coordinator, HomeNet International

PANEL 2 – ACCESS TO SOCIAL PROTECTION

By ensuring access to healthcare and by providing income replacement, social protection has shielded people from financial insecurity and poverty during the pandemic. However, there are important gaps in social protection, especially for informal workers and workers in non-standard forms of employment. This panel will discuss initiatives that have been taken by governments and social partners to cover such gaps.

Speakers:

• Luz Vidal Huiriqueo, Undersecretary of the Ministry for Women and Gender Equality, Chile

• Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary, Public Services International

• María Cotal Neira, President of FESINTRACAP, International Domestic Workers Federation affiliate

• Laura Alfers, Director of the Social Protection Programme, WIEGO
  

Day 2 – Thursday 7 April

OPENING REMARKS: Laleh Ispahani, Co-director, Open Society - U.S.

PANEL 3 – IMPROVING OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Many essential workers have been at the frontline of the pandemic, continuing to work in close proximity with others despite the risk of exposing themselves to the coronavirus. This panel will demonstrate how social dialogue can make a difference by providing essential workers with better health protection at work.

Speakers:

• Mattias Landgren, State Secretary to the Minister for Housing and Deputy Minister for Employment, Sweden

• Haiyani Rumondang, Director General for Labour Inspection and OSH Development, Ministry of Manpower, Indonesia

• Christy Hoffman, General Secretary, UNI Global Union

• Rémi Boyer, Chief Human Resources Officer & CSR, Korian
  

PANEL 4 – ENDING VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT IN THE WORLD OF WORK

Work-related violence and harassment have increased as a result of the pandemic and this has often taken the form of gender-based violence. Essential workers and those suspected of being contagious with COVID-19 have also been
at risk of stigmatisation, discrimination, and violence. This panel will look at the measures taken by governments and social partners to address this problem.

Speakers:

• Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Labour, Canada

• Claudio Moroni, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Argentina Joaquín Pérez Rey, Vice Minister for Employment and Social Economy, Spain

• Philippe Symons, Chief Ethics Officer, Sodexo

• Shawna Bader-Blau, Executive Director, Solidarity Center

• Frances Onopke, Programme Officer, Federation of Informal Workers Organisation of Nigeria, StreetNet affiliate

CLOSING REMARKS: Moussa Oumarou, Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships, International Labour Organization