G20 Labor and Employment Ministers' Meeting
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ILAB Associate Deputy Undersecretary Mark Mittelhauser addressing the G20 Employment Task Force in Moscow on February 21, 2013. |
The G20 labor and employment ministers' process brings together labor and social affairs ministers from countries representing approximately 85 percent of the world's global economy to advise G20 Leaders on the most pressing labor and employment challenges of the day. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis hosted the first G20 labor and employment ministerial in April 2010.
Upcoming Events
June 3-4, 2013: G20 Employment Task Force Meeting —St. Petersburg, Russia
The next meeting of the G20 Employment Task Force will take place in St. Petersburg on June 3-4.
Previous Events
February 21-22, 2013: G20 Employment Task Force Meeting —Moscow, Russia
The G20 Employment Task Force (ETF) held its first meeting under the Russian G20 Presidency on February 21-22 in Moscow to discuss preparations for the G20 Labor and Employment Ministerial, scheduled to take place on July 18, and a joint Labor-Finance Ministerial meeting, scheduled for July 19. Russia has stated that its principal objective for the G20 in 2013 is “developing a set of measures aimed at boosting sustainable, inclusive and balanced growth and jobs creation around the world.”
Two issues in particular were discussed: cyclical employment and job creation-related issues, and labor activation measures such as training, skills enhancement, and programs designed to help vulnerable populations enter the workforce.
October 1 - 2, 2012: G20 Employment Task Force Meeting — Geneva, Switzerland
Employment experts from G20 countries convened on October 1st and 2nd to discuss key elements that make quality apprenticeships successful. In addition, they produced "G20 Strategies on Youth Employment," which describes the current and long-term employment challenges of youth in G20 countries and the necessary strategies to address these challenges. The International Labor Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and labor and employment leaders were also in attendance.
May 17 - 18, 2012: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers' Meeting — Guadalajara, Mexico
The G20 labor and employment ministers discussed how to achieve quality employment for more of the world's population, create employment opportunities for young people and examine the prospects for employment in the emerging high growth sectors. Mexican President Felipe Calderon joined the meeting for the concluding session at which Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, speaking on behalf of all the G20 ministers, said that, "The crisis our young people face also threatens our national social protection floors and thus has a damaging effect on all workers." The Ministers' conclusions noted that employment rates have not yet returned to pre-crisis levels and that in some countries unemployment and the number of people in informal and precarious jobs continues to require ongoing attention. They noted the need to promote employment policies for youth and other vulnerable groups, agreed that green growth may be a source of job creation, and that the creation of quality jobs would contribute to poverty reduction and social inclusion. They also called upon the G20 leaders to strengthen the relationship between labor and finance ministers to address links between growth and employment.
December 15, 2011: G20 Employment Task Force Meeting — Mexico City, Mexico
Employment experts from G20 countries, the International Labor Organization, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, met in Mexico City on December 15 for the first meeting of the G20 Task Force on Employment. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary of Labor of Mexico and the Minister of Labor of France. At the September 2011 G20 Labor and Employment Ministers meeting in Paris the ministers agreed to create an intergovernmental task force that would provide practical input for April 2012 G20 Labor and Employment ministerial meeting in Mexico. It was agreed that the first topic to be addressed will be youth employment. Participants discussed effective programs and strategies for preparing young workers to enter the workforce, and the significant present and future implications of youth unemployment for the labor market.
The United States, as well as several other countries, emphasized that youth employment not only scarred those who faced long term exclusion from the labor market, but also had significant consequences for the labor market in the future. The United States also noted that we do not face a single youth employment problem, but multiple youth employment issues that have differing effects on populations of different education levels, different regions, and different races and ethnicities.
September 26-27, 2011: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers' Meeting — Paris, France
France hosted the G20 labor and employment ministers in Paris. Ministers agreed upon a set of recommendations to Leaders on ways to boost employment, enhance social protection, better implement worker rights and develop improved policy coherence between national and international institutions. They also established a task force on employment.
Resources
Questions?
Robert Shepard
(202) 693-4808
Shepard.Robert@dol.gov
Claudia Calderon
(202) 693-4814
Calderon.Claudia.V@dol.gov
