Topic: International Labor Standards
Country: Ecuador
Delegate Name: Gabrielle Vuylsteke
School: Ann Arbor Community High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Ecuador position papers GLIMUN 2009 committees
As the International Labour Organization states in its Constitution’s preamble, “Whereas universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice; And whereas conditions of labour exist involving such injustice, hardship and privation to large numbers of people… and an improvement of those conditions is urgently required…” The Republic of Ecuador agrees with the ILO and acknowledges that labour condition regulation is a necessity.
We, the Republic of Ecuador, believe that certain standards of work are necessary for humans to live life without severe difficulty. We are aware of the problems regarding labour standards within our borders, as well as the problems in other United Nation member states. In order to ensure the safety and well being of all citizens of member states of the UN, certain needs must be met.
We believe that necessary work standards fall into two broad categories. The regulation of child labour (meaning the work of those citizens under the age of 18) includes limits such as a set minimum age for labour, which the Republic of Ecuador recommends to be set at fifteen years of age and changeable only in extreme cases, and prevention of child labour in hazardous jobs, such as military and mining. The second category of work standards is regulation of adult (peoples over the age of 18) working conditions which is also necessary. Laws that guarantee a reasonable minimum wage that allows for a livable lifestyle and conditions where employee firing must be reasonable are necissary. Furthermore benefits and vacation days should be included in contracts are necessary to support suitale conditions. Labourers must be given the right to create unions in order to protect their own specific circumstances, as well as the guarantee of equal wages for both men and women. Forced labour is an issue that needs attention, and we recommend it as punishment for criminals as decided by the courts. We, the Republic of Ecuador, have shown in our public policies our country's support of each particular issue and the core Conventions of the ILO. Each public policy is being executed accordingly.
In order to ensure the safety and well being of all of the world’s people, the UN must draw from and expand on the ILO’s core Conventions, and all member states must ratify and enforce the statement that the UN ratifies in order to create an environment where all people may live properly and labour standards may embody such concepts as in the eight core Conventions of ILO.
