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Technological Advances Threaten World of Work

Lisa Schlein

   GENEVA - A vigorous debate is going on at the [1]International Labor
   Conference about ways to tackle the profound, transformational changes
   taking place in the world of work. Dozens of heads of state are among
   those weighing in on this issue. ã

   As Co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Future of Work, South
   Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has been looking into the problem
   for the past 18 months. The commission's landmark report, which was
   released in January, is being debated and considered for adoption by
   the ILO conference.

   Ramaphosa says the threats to work posed by technological advances, the
   growth of artificial intelligence, automation and robotics require a
   human-centered response. That, he says, involves investment in decent
   and sustainable work.

   "As countries of Africa, we are particularly determined to ensure that
   this investment focuses on the creation of economic opportunities for
   young people... Many of the young people on our continent are
   unemployed and lack the critical skills demanded by the workplace of
   both the present and the future.

   The commission is proposing a universal labor guarantee that includes
   the right to lifelong learning and skills training. Prime Minister of
   the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev is in general agreement with the
   commission's recommendations.

   But he warns of other threats to the future of work and to global
   economic stability. ã

   "We live in a globalized world and regulation of labor relations need
   some common equal principles... and illegitimate sanctions,
   protectionism, trade wars and other artificial barriers negatively
   affect inter alia [among other things] the labor market and economy of
   countries in general," he said.

References

   1. https://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm

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