SGS Responsible Business Services - International News on Social Responsibility

1. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower Sets up Advisory Committee to Protect GIG Economy Workers
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower announced the formation of the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers in September. The Committee aims to strengthen protections for self-employed persons who work for online platforms, specifically delivery persons, private-hire car drivers, and taxi drivers. It focuses to three priority areas, including Improving retirement and housing adequacy, ensuring adequate financial protection in case of work injury, and closing the gap in bargaining power.

2. 1.6 Billion Across Asia and the Pacific Lack Access to Social Health Protection
The report <Extending social health protection: Accelerating progress towards Universal Health Coverage in Asia and the Pacific> published by ILO identifies significant inequalities in health protection coverage within and across countries in Asia and the Pacific. Less than half the region’s work force has their income security legally guaranteed when sick while just 45.9 percent of women are protected in case of loss of income during maternity. Gaps in coverage also disproportionately affect women and men with unstable or irregular employment and incomes such as the self-employed, informal economy workers as well as migrant workers and their families. Agricultural and domestic workers and their families are especially hard hit.

3. ILO Adopts Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries
Based on international labor standards and other sectoral guidelines, the code provides comprehensive and practical advice on how to eliminate, reduce and control all major hazards and risks. This includes chemical substances, ergonomic and physical hazards, tools, machines and equipment, as well as building and fire safety. More than 60 million workers around the globe will benefit from the new code, which will be of particular importance to developing countries and emerging economies.

4. ILO Research Highlights Massive COVID-19 Impact on Tourism Employment in Asia and the Pacific
Evidence from five countries – Brunei Darussalam, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam – reveals job losses in tourism-related sectors in 2020 were four times greater than in non-tourism sectors. Nearly one-third of total job losses were linked to the tourism sector with an estimated 1.6 million tourism-related jobs lost in these five countries alone. Women workers appear to have been particularly hit with an increased concentration of women carrying out food and beverage serving activities, the lowest-paid jobs in the sector. Working-hour losses in tourism are well above those estimated for other sectors with the magnitude of reduced hours from two to seven times greater than for non-tourism-related workers.

5. China Plans to Revise Laws to Specify New Industrial Labors’ Rights to Join and Organize Trade Unions
In recent years, the number of new industrial labors, such as couriers, ride hailing drivers and delivery men, has been surging. Yue Zhongming, the spokesman for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee and Minister of Legislative Planning Office said on December 17 that the NPC Standing Committee would review the draft amendment of the Trade Union Law at the meeting held on December 20 to 24. It is planned to add stipulations to expand the coverage of trade unions and their work, making it clear that new industrial labors have rights to join and organize trade unions. Therefore, trade unions can serve for new industrial labors and protect their legitimate rights.

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