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Since the 1980s, the number of Asians migrating for employment has tripled to more than three million annually. This large flow of workers has enormous consequences for the migrants and their countries of origin and destination. Migrants achieve dramatic boosts in their incomes, and their home countries benefit from remittances, which amount to billions of dollars for the region as a whole, and in many countries dwarf official development assistance and foreign direct investment. At the same time, destination countries’ economies are boosted by the arrival of hardworking and flexible labour forces. However, migration also has costs. Migrant workers can be exposed to exploitation and discrimination - especially the increasing numbers of women migrants who are vulnerable to labour trafficking. For source countries, the income from remittances has to be offset against the departure of many of their most energetic and skilled workers who could be contributing to national development. How can the Asia-Pacific region maximize the benefits of labour migration and minimize the costs? The International Labour Organization (ILO) can assist countries in their efforts to create more orderly and equitable migration systems. This document provides an introduction to the services that ILO can offer.

Excerpt from published foreword reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This publication is a compilation of write-ups covering basic points on issues related to labor issues and labor policies in Japan. The chapters are: Japanese economy and labor situation; Labor market; Human resource management; Labor-management relations; Labor administration and legislation; Social security system.

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The gig economy is characterised by the increasing number of people moving away from traditional employment models in favour of undertaking freelance work. Digital platforms allow freelancers to swiftly connect with employers to find more assignments, market their skills, manage various clients and accept secure payments. The gig economy continues to reshape the relationship between workers and businesses. This paper from the Australian Industry Group provides an overview of the gig economy, why it is important, the implications and benefits for industry, and ways in which industry can harness its potential.

The paper suggests that the key change for industry will be the increased fluidity of the workforce and the implications this has for company structure and hiring. Companies will need to embrace this growing labour trend in order to remain competitive. They will require new technology, tools and processes to maximise the benefits it carries. Independent contractor work streams are set to become a fundamental component of talent strategies, and will bring about disruption and innovation in the labour economy. Potential benefits includes a flexible and dynamic workforce, wider access to talent, an increase in productivity, and value for smaller companies who experience fluctuating periods of activity. However, businesses need to understand and evaluate the workplace relations and other risks associated with embracing the gig economy.

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In 1986 representatives of Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and affiliated unions undertook a study tour of selected Western European countries. Their report 'Australia reconstructed' emphasised consensus arrangements operating in those countries and suggested that Australia adopt similar arrangements. This document examines the report and presents the opposing view. Show less

This publication is a compilation of write-ups describing individual themes related to the current status of labor issues in Japan. The chapters are: The economy, industries, and corporations; The labor markets; Human resource management; Labour relations; Labor laws and labor administrations; and Japan's social security system.

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The OECD produces annual reviews of Member and selected non-Member countries’ economies. Each issue provides an analysis of developments in the subject country, special reports on topics of current interest, and extensive statistical information. This 2006 economic survey of Australia presents a comprehensive overview of the Australian economy and contains a special feature on fiscal relations across levels of government. The survey is presented in the following sections: The short-term challenge: riding the commodities rollercoaster; Long-term structural challenges; Fiscal relations across levels of government; The need for further reforms to infrastructure services; Reforming industrial relations; Improving incentives to work. The survey concludes that a series of structural reforms and the introduction of a robust macroeconomic framework have ensured Australia’s stability during recent testing economic times. These reforms have also boosted productivity and living standards. The challenge will be to sustain this performance, particularly in the face of population ageing, which will require progress in the following areas: improving fiscal relations across levels of government; boosting productivity growth; and raising labour market flexibility and supply.

The 2004 survey is indexed at TD/TNC 81.362, the 2002-2003 survey at TD/TNC 73.418 and the 2000-2001 survey at TD/TNC 67.126. Show less

The CEDA bulletin is published three times a year and aims to facilitate discussion on issues concerning Australia's economic and social development. This issue features a series of articles which examine the impact of globalisation on aspects of the Australian economy. The articles are: Workplace relations and the global imperative / Sharan Burrow; Currency markets / Ric Simes; New organisational structures / Danielle Venn; Exporting services to the global economy / Glenn Morris; When aerospace meets agriculture: Australia's grain industry goes global. Other feature articles include: 'Lifelong learning: what does it mean?' by Richard Curtain, in which the author argues that lifelong learning policy in Australia must be learner-centred and proposes an independently funded agency to represent and advocate the interests of learners; 'Population ageing and the economy' by Bronwyn Bishop, presents the Minister's edited responses to the report by Access Economics on 'Population ageing and the economy', launched at a CEDA seminar on the ageing workforce in Melbourne in March 2001; 'Corporate community involvement: cost or investment?' by Dahle Suggett, reports on a recent survey indicating that many Australian companies are increasing their involvement in community activities.

'Lifelong learning: what does it mean?' by Richard Curtain is indexed at TD/TNC 66.490. Show less

As a nation Australia needs to do three things to cope with the worsening economic climate: look to alternatives to firing and invest in skills; repair the safety net to avoid poverty and dislocation; and ensure retrenched workers get the most effective assistance to get back to work quickly. Measures to increase access to redundancy entitlements, early intervention and case management should be more widely available, rather than based on a lottery approach dependent on whether a person works in a specific industry subject to special government supports, the number of employees at the firm, or whether the employment is casual or permanent. It recommends establishing a Skills Development Fund that would enable employers to retain their employees during the economic slowdown while they undertake training.

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Australia at Work is a longitudinal study of 8,341 Australians to examine people's working lives in a continually changing industrial relations environment. The research participants will be contacted once a year for five years (2007 to 2011) to find out how their working lives are changing. The Australian labour market is experiencing a period of substantial change, within both the economic and industrial relations environments. This third annual Australia at Work report provides a first look at how these changes are impacting on working life. The report distinguishes between changes that have occurred in the last year, during the economic downturn, and the ongoing dynamics of the Australian labour market. The purpose of this report is to provide a first descriptive take of the most recent data in order to generate debate about how Australian working life is evolving both in the short and longer term.

Related reports are indexed in at TD/TNC 94.666 and TD/TNC 94.155. Show less

Manufacturing has been, and continues to be, critical to the success of the UK economy. Britain's strength as a prosperous trading nation over the past three centuries was built on manufacturing. Looking forward, a thriving modern manufacturing sector is central to the future success of the British economy. Manufacturers face major challenges in the short-term - the global economic slowdown compounded by high input prices for energy and raw materials - and in the longer term, as the pace of globalisation continues to intensify. But at the same time, longer term changes in the global economy present tremendous opportunities in new and growing markets, which Britain is well placed to exploit.

Contents: Part one: Manufacturing matters - Introduction; A major success story; Supporting manufacturing success; Responding to global changes in manufacturing; Part two: Responding to global changes in manufacturing - Global value chains: international fragmentation of production; Technology exploitation: accelerating the spread of new technologies; Intangibles: competitive advantage from non-traditional elements of manufacturing; People: improving the skills base and attracting talent into manufacturing; Low carbon economy: opportunities for manufacturing; and Part three - Manufacturing action plan and supporting information; Manufacturing in devolved administrations.

Excerpt from publication.

The supporting analysis 'Five dynamics of change in global manufacturing' is indexed at TD/TNC 95.674. Show less