COMMISSIONS AT THE SUMMIT
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Globalisation, Unemployment and Decent Work
Cunningham Ngcukana of Labour, who addressed the commission,
said that in response to globalisation, companies have tended to
out-source what is regarded as non-core business; increase casual
labour in order to reduce the cost of social benefits; put pressure
on governments to deregulate the labour market; steer investment
towards capital methods of production and accelerate mergers and
acquisitions.
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Fadila Lagadien, Cunningham Ngcukana and
Rams Ramashia in the commission on
Globalisation, Unemployment and Decent Work
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Governments have lowered trade tariffs, removed exchange
controls, introduced tax incentives, reduced the budget deficit,
privatised or restructured state enterprises and removed government
subsidies.
The effect on labour globally has been widespread job
insecurity, an increase in unemployment as a result of
retrenchments; increase in workplace injuries; lower wages and
longer working hours; denial of basic worker rights and the
reduction of the collective bargaining power of the workers. He
called on the Nedlac parties to embrace the challenge set out by
the Director-General of the ILO to focus on the "decent work
deficit".that which was addressed by.
Department of Labour Director-General, Rams Ramashia was the
respondent. He coined terms for the two extremes of how people
react to globalisation - globophobia (fear of globalisation) and
globophilia (love of globalisation). He emphasised what was
important was how countries turned the benefits to their best
advantage, whilst minimising the negative aspects of globalisation.
He said that one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa was
how to provide skills so that the many jobs that were advertised
weekly could be filled, and unemployment levels reduced.
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Globalisation, Investment and Growth
Elias Masilela, Chief Director: Macroeconomic Policy in the
National Treasury addressed the commission. His presentation
covered issues such as South Africa's poor savings performance, the
need for more foreign direct investment and more capital
expenditure as well as negative sentiments about the South African
economy and exchange rate volatility and the benefits of debt
management and sound fiscal management. He said that Government
would be maintaining a growth-oriented balance of spending. Sipho
Masuku of Community responded. He raised concerns about the
commitment of the domestic private sector to investment, the
regulation of the informal sector and the impact of privatisation
on marginalised groups.
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Nedlac, social dialogue and the multi-lateral
institutions
Professor Raymond Parsons of Business presented the main
address. He argued that there were regional and global challenges
for social dialogue. On a regional level, he said that South Africa
should be promoting social dialogue in other SADC countries. On a
global level, social dialogue could help ensure that the
multilateral institutions, such as the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation, are
reformed so as to make them more responsive to consultation. Faizel
Ismail of the Department of Trade and Industry responded. He said
that Government's belief was that strategic engagement in the world
economy and system was needed, in order to be able to change some
of the rules and the way the "game" is played. This could be done
by mobilising the positive forces including developing countries
and social forces within countries from the North. Government had
made this the focus of its involvement in all of the various
multi-lateral institutions, but especially through the United
National Conference for Trade and Development, UNCTAD, and the
World Trade Organisation.
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Professor Raymond
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