Role of Government in Improving Industrial Relations
The topic description provided by the organizers of this roundtable wishes the discussions to be “centered on how the government can assist in providing more efficient welfare for labor which will essentially reduce the possible sources of friction between labor and management.”
The “new” approach suggests to achieve industrial peace through social protection and promotion of social welfare of labor. It means that, aside from acting as the arbiter of social conflict, the government should take a proactive role in reducing social and industrial conflicts by acting on its source, that is, by improving the institutional arrangements to welfare of labor and its share in the wealth of the nation, The FFW has a list of proposals in this respect contained in its most recent Policy and Program of Action, which it offers as a basis for entering into a social dialogue with the social partners.2
Two concepts may be useful in discussing this objective. The first refers to the framework of “decent work”; the other to the principle of subsidiarity. The framework of decent work defines what should be done to promote the welfare of labor. The principle of subsidiarity shows how and what can be done by the social partners for the same purpose.
Decent Work
The concept of decent work is now adopted by the ILO as the main guiding principle of its action. According to the ILO, decent work has four main pillars.
These are promoting respect core international labor standards; generating decent and productive employment; improving social protection and encouraging social dialogue. In the Philippines, the ILO in cooperation with the social partners is set
1 Paper contribution by Antonio C. Asper, Executive Assistant to the FFW President, to the
Roundtable Discussion on “Furthering Workers’ Welfare Whilst Improving Labor Productivity and Increasing Firms’ Competitiveness: New Role of Government in Improving Industrial
Relations”, conducted by the Angelo King
The “new” approach suggests to achieve industrial peace through social protection and promotion of social welfare of labor. It means that, aside from acting as the arbiter of social conflict, the government should take a proactive role in reducing social and industrial conflicts by acting on its source, that is, by improving the institutional arrangements to welfare of labor and its share in the wealth of the nation, The FFW has a list of proposals in this respect contained in its most recent Policy and Program of Action, which it offers as a basis for entering into a social dialogue with the social partners.2
Two concepts may be useful in discussing this objective. The first refers to the framework of “decent work”; the other to the principle of subsidiarity. The framework of decent work defines what should be done to promote the welfare of labor. The principle of subsidiarity shows how and what can be done by the social partners for the same purpose.
Decent Work
The concept of decent work is now adopted by the ILO as the main guiding principle of its action. According to the ILO, decent work has four main pillars.
These are promoting respect core international labor standards; generating decent and productive employment; improving social protection and encouraging social dialogue. In the Philippines, the ILO in cooperation with the social partners is set
1 Paper contribution by Antonio C. Asper, Executive Assistant to the FFW President, to the
Roundtable Discussion on “Furthering Workers’ Welfare Whilst Improving Labor Productivity and Increasing Firms’ Competitiveness: New Role of Government in Improving Industrial
Relations”, conducted by the Angelo King