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9 August, 2000Trade union membership in the labour force has declined in many countries, according to a U.N. report.
GLOBAL: Employment in the formal labour market
has grown impressively in the past decade, according to the "Human development report 2000", published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In
China in 1987--96, employment increased
2.2% a year. The corresponding rates in India
were 2.4% and 2.2%.
In OECD countries in 1987--97, employment and the labour force grew at the same pace, 1.1% a year. Labour productivity has increased in both OECD and developing countries. Employment opportunities in developing countries have broadened through expansion of informal sector enterprises.
Even so, at east 150 million of the world's workers were unemployed at the end of 1998, and as many as 900 million were under-employed. About 35 million people were unemployed in OECD countries alone. Insecure jobs have become a fact of life in many countries.
Trade union membership in the non-agricultural labour force has declined in many countries--both developing and OECD. Of the 27 million workers in the world's 845 export processing zones, many are not allowed to join unions, a clear violation of workers' rights and human rights.
Worldwide, there are some 250 million child labourers--140 million boys, 110 million girls. Asia accounts for 153 million, Africa for 80 million.
The UNDP report is, as usual, ranking all countries in a "Human development index". The index measures a country's achievements in terms of life expectancy, educational attainment and adjusted real income. At the top are Canada, Norway, United States, Australia, Iceland and Sweden. At the bottom are Guinea-Bissau, Burundi, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Niger and, as number 174, Sierra Leone.
In OECD countries in 1987--97, employment and the labour force grew at the same pace, 1.1% a year. Labour productivity has increased in both OECD and developing countries. Employment opportunities in developing countries have broadened through expansion of informal sector enterprises.
Even so, at east 150 million of the world's workers were unemployed at the end of 1998, and as many as 900 million were under-employed. About 35 million people were unemployed in OECD countries alone. Insecure jobs have become a fact of life in many countries.
Trade union membership in the non-agricultural labour force has declined in many countries--both developing and OECD. Of the 27 million workers in the world's 845 export processing zones, many are not allowed to join unions, a clear violation of workers' rights and human rights.
Worldwide, there are some 250 million child labourers--140 million boys, 110 million girls. Asia accounts for 153 million, Africa for 80 million.
The UNDP report is, as usual, ranking all countries in a "Human development index". The index measures a country's achievements in terms of life expectancy, educational attainment and adjusted real income. At the top are Canada, Norway, United States, Australia, Iceland and Sweden. At the bottom are Guinea-Bissau, Burundi, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Niger and, as number 174, Sierra Leone.