Decent Work for the
Panama Canal
The construction of a
waterway to link two
oceans separated by an
isthmus defied reality
in 1880, and was a
deadly trap for more
than 27,000 workers who
had died by the time it
was completed in 1914.
Recently, work to extend
the canal has begun, but
this time under the
banner of Decent Work,
according to an
announcement by the
Government of Panama to
delegates from around
the world gathering at
the annual conference of
the ILO.
“We are committed to the
arduous task of
extending the Panama
Canal, and we hope to
carry it out under the
principles of decent
work” Edwin Salamín Jaen,
Labour Minister of
Panama said in a speech
following his election
as President of the 97th
International Labour
Conference which gathers
representatives of
governments, workers and
employers from 182 ILO
member States in Geneva.
Mr. Salamín Jaen told
the plenary session of
the Conference that the
Government of Panama has
included a clause in
construction tenders
committing “the
companies involved to
respect decent work
principles for the
approximately 7,000
direct jobs to be
created”.
The proposed extension
of the Panama Canal,
aimed at increasing the
volume of traffic the
waterway can absorb,
began in September and
will be completed in
2014. This is a project
“we are closely
watching”, the President
of the Conference told
ILO Online.
The decision to include
Decent Work principles
in the extension of the
Panama Canal is
emblematic, as it
contrasts with the high
cost in human lives
caused by the
construction of the
original canal, mainly
because of tropical
diseases and accidents.
Today, both the Canal
and the extension works
are in the hands of
Panama, and Salamín Jaen
said that his country
attaches the utmost
importance to this
matter. The Minister
added that those
employed in the project
today still had “a
dangerous job facing
great risk”.
Decent work is promoted
by the ILO as an
objective for all
nations and societies,
with the aim of
providing equal access
to productive
employment, with safety
in the workplace, social
protection for families
and respect for labour
rights.
This is a concept that
has gained support from
the international
community and numerous
political forums and
countries, and it is an
essential tool for
fighting poverty and
fostering development.
According to Mr. Salamín
Jaen, Panama agreed on a
National Decent Work
Agenda last December.
“Any economic activity
should respect these
principles” the Minister
said.
Referring to his
presidency of the
Conference, he added
that “we have such
important issues on the
agenda as the promotion
of rural employment for
poverty reduction,
increased productivity,
job growth and
development, and
strengthening the
capacities of the
Organization”.
The Minister highlighted
the tripartite nature of
the ILO, “a
participatory and
democratic body because
everything is being
discussed here,
everything is debated”,
and the proposals
adopted represent an
added value as they are
based on consensus. |
