Global Labour Rights and Agenda 2030
11 November 2016, 10:00 - 14:00
“The UN Sustainable Development Agenda and Global Labour Rights” - a conference jointly organised by Trinity College and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Opened by Jack O’Connor, Chair of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ European and International Forum
Friday 11th of November 2016
10.00 – 14.00
Swift Theatre, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2
In September 2015 the United Nations adopted the new Agenda for Sustainable Development, and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), setting out a global agenda on poverty, health, gender equality, education and environmental sustainability. For the first time the SDGs also include a systematic focus on global labour rights and ‘decent work’. Goal Eight commits countries to the “promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”. It remains unclear, however, what shape the implementation of Goal Eight will take and, in particular, how any improvements in workers’ rights may be measured. Fostering economic growth whilst safeguarding and improving labour rights continues to be a contentious policy challenge. It also poses important questions for NGOs and trade unions in Ireland and beyond. The conference will bring together trade unionists, academics and policy makers to discuss the implications of the UN’s sustainable development agenda for global labour rights. The conference forms part of an ongoing research project between the Department of Sociology at Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions funded under the Irish Research Council’s New Foundation scheme.
Speakers will include:
David Donoghue, Irish Ambassador to the United Nations in New York;
Bob Kyloh, International Labour Organisation;
Catelene Passchier, Workers Spokesperson at ILO discussion on Decent Work in Global Supply Chains;
Aidan Madden, ARUP – Standards in the Bangladesh Fire and Safety Accord;
Bernadette Phelan, Membership Services Manager, Business in the Community Ireland
Draft agenda available here
Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions would like to thank the Irish Research Council for the funding of this project. The SDG8 Labour Project was funded under the IRC New Foundations scheme.
You can register here
Venue
Trinity College Dublin