Informal employment in construction sector: ILO seminar in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The ILO Budapest organized a workshop for the construction trade unions of Bosnia and Hercegovinain in the framework of program on Reduction of informal work in construction sector through social partnership. The event took place in Teslic, Respublika Serpska, BiH. The unemployment rate in BiH is more than 30% and about 40% of labor age population is engaged in informal labor relations.

Svetla Shekherdieva, Senior Workers activity specialist of the ILO Budapest, BWI South East Europe coordinator Jasmin Redzepovich and the ITUC/PERC representative Sergejus Glovackas moderated the event.

Svetla Shekherdzieva presented ”ILO Instruments for alleviation current economy crisis influence” and gave recommendations for Trade Unions actions. She also presented new ILO initiative “Green Jobs” which is connected with “Decent work Campaign”.

During the workshop sub-regional action plans were prepared with an aim of formalising construction sector through unionization and social partnership.

Fergus Whelan shared Irish experience on fighting with undeclared work in Ireland. He marked that the days of Ireland providing a model for anyone else to follow are well and truly over and Irish economy miracle was just bubble.

The labor trafficking case of Bosnian construction workers to Azerbaijan was discussed and it agreed to strengthen public and state control of the activities private employment agencies, in a view to initiate strict regulations of the work of such agencies.

The activities of the above project are implemented in close cooperation between the ILO-Budapest, BWI and the ITUC-PERC.

/S. Glovackas