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date: 12 May 2009

embargo: For immediate release

Promoting decent work across the globe

Businesses, unions, academics and development organisations have today (Tuesday) come together to launch a new group aimed at improving the working conditions of workers around the globe.

Launching the Decent Work and Labour Standards Forum at the TUC's London HQ today, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady said while the global slowdown was causing much pain and misery amongst UK workers who have lost their jobs, the impact on workers in poorer countries was devastating.

The Decent Work and Labour Standards Forum aims to work closely with the UK Government - International Development Minister Gareth Thomas also spoke at the launch - sharing ideas and promoting new initiatives to help push 'decent work' up the agendas of governments, employers, unions and development agencies, to deliver decent and productive work for all.

Commenting on the launch of the Forum, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: 'All around the world workers are feeling the pinch as companies go under or shed jobs. For workers in the developing world, losing a job now means losing the means to feed your family. We can't solve this situation with a return to the high-debt, low wage debacle of the past three decades. Those unequal times are over.

'Instead we need decent work and decent social services to rebuild the economy, narrow inequality, put food on everyone's table and strengthen social cohesion from the factories of Bangladesh to the farms of Ghana.

'The new Forum will bring together the expertise and passion of UK unions, development agencies and businesses to help workers and governments in the developing world deliver this vision.'

Minister for Trade and Development Gareth Thomas said: 'In a global economic downturn it is more important than ever that workers in developing countries have jobs which enable them to feed and clothe their families.

'The Decent Work and Labour Standards Forum is important because it brings the Government together with NGOs, business leaders, trade unions and academics to examine what needs to be done to help the most vulnerable people in developing countries to work in a safe and secure environment and have access to social protection measures.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

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Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk

Press release (500 words) issued 12 May 2009