Haatainen stresses need for tripartite co-op during pandemic

Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen on Tuesday emphasised the importance of tripartite cooperation during crises such as the coronavirus epidemic.

She spoke about the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on working life at the plenary session of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) International Labour Conference held virtually.

The tripartite structure of the ILO means that workers, employers and governments all participate equally in the organisation’s work. Finland’s delegation also includes representatives of the Government, employers and employees.

“Some ongoing trends in the global labour market are truly worrisome, including the increased use of forced labour and child labour. In addition, there have been infringements of people’s freedom of association and collective bargaining. We must put a stop to these negative developments together and create a fair and equal labour market for all,” Haatainen said in her speech.

One of the conference’s key objectives is to issue a joint declaration on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on working life.