G20 LEMM Declaration aligns with trade union demands

The G20 Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting (G20 LEMM) took place in Fortaleza, Brazil, on 25-26 July. The Ministerial Declaration from the meeting closely aligns with workers’ demands, as outlined in the L20 statement to the G20 LEMM.

The LEMM opened with a Just Transition Leadership Forum, during which L20 members had the opportunity to engage with Labour and Employment Ministers. Throughout this discussion, social partners and key governments showcased their efforts to address the social impacts of climate change, promote decent job plans, and develop skills within Just Transition strategies.

In the declaration, the G20 LEMM addressed several critical areas highlighted by the L20 Summit, held on 23-24 July, just before the LEMM. The commitments in the declaration resonate with trade unions’ call for a New Social Contract. Specifically, the G20 Ministers pledged to:

• Create quality jobs and promote decent work.
• Reduce inequalities, including by increasing real wages and progressing towards living wages and universal social protection.
• Guarantee a Just Transition in all sectors.
• Act urgently and effectively against forced labour and child labour.
• Ensure women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in economies and their access to comprehensive social protection benefits.
• Combat violence and harassment at work.
• Secure the safety and health of all workers.
• Respect, promote, and realise the fundamental principles and rights at work.
• Address the challenges of algorithmic management and the need to strengthen international cooperation to safeguard the rights of workers in the platform economy and AI supply chains.
• Provide access to adequate and sustainable social protection for all workers, including gig and platform workers.
• Promote social dialogue and support collective bargaining.