Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05QUITO1203
2005-05-24 21:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Quito
Cable title:  

NEW MOL AN ALLY ON LABOR RIGHTS

Tags:  ELAB PGOV EC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 QUITO 001203 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/AND, WHA/PPC, EB, AND DRL/IL. USDOL FOR JORGE
PEREZ-LOPEZ. GENEVA FOR JOHN CHAMBERLIN. PLEASE PASS USTR
FOR A/USTR CLATANOFF, V. LOPEZ AND B. HARMON.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PGOV EC
SUBJECT: NEW MOL AN ALLY ON LABOR RIGHTS


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 QUITO 001203

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/AND, WHA/PPC, EB, AND DRL/IL. USDOL FOR JORGE
PEREZ-LOPEZ. GENEVA FOR JOHN CHAMBERLIN. PLEASE PASS USTR
FOR A/USTR CLATANOFF, V. LOPEZ AND B. HARMON.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PGOV EC
SUBJECT: NEW MOL AN ALLY ON LABOR RIGHTS



1. Summary: New Minister of Labor Galo Chiriboga is
concerned about labor rights in Ecuador and hopes to improve
unions' image, increase dialogue between business and union
representatives, and enforce ILO commitments. Chiriboga will
travel to Geneva for the meetings of the ILO Governing Body
where Ecuador will seek the vice presidency. Chiriboga will
not attend the next round of FTA negotiations in Guayaquil.
Vice Minister Betty Amores will head the GOE labor
negotiating team. End Summary.

Chiriboga's Labor Rights Agenda
--------------


2. In meetings with EmbOffs shortly after taking office,
Chiriboga said he wants to improve unions' public image by
encouraging capacity building. He said he will work with
unions to come up with a proposal. Chiriboga wants to
modernize unions to address the poor quality of leadership.


3. One of Chiriboga's goals while in office is to strengthen
the tripartite National Labor Council, which he contends has
not been used to its full potential. Chiriboga told EmbOffs
on May 16 that dialogue should go beyond labor conditions and
include broader economic issues, such as employment
generation policies. Chiriboga also wants to promote
collective bargaining. He said only 11 agreements have been
signed thus far in 2005, reflecting both weak unions and
structural constraints against unionization. Chiriboga also
told us he was in favor of permitting industry-wide unions,
but did not specify whether this would require legislation.


4. Chiriboga said on May 23 that he welcomed a visit to
Ecuador by US union representatives. He said he hoped to
sign an agreement between the GOE and US unions saying that
the GOE would work with unions to avoid illegal migration to
the US, and that US unions would give special attention to
the protection of Ecuadorian migrants under US labor laws.

Looking to Work Closely with the ILO
--------------


5. Chiriboga plans to spend three weeks in Geneva at the ILO
annual meetings as part of an Ecuadorian delegation including
two other MOL representatives, four union representatives,
and three business representatives. Ecuador is seeking one
of the three vice presidencies of the ILO Governing Body.
Chiriboga said Ecuador had some support from GRULAC members
for its candidacy. Chiriboga told LabOff on May 23 that he
does not intend to cover up any labor rights weaknesses in
Ecuador. Instead, he wants to identify problems and promote
a plan to address areas where Ecuador does not fully comply
with ILO conventions.


6. Chiriboga said he had not received copies of a report
elaborated by ILO/Lima and delivered to the previous Minister
on areas where Ecuador does not comply fully with ILO
conventions. He said he has asked the ILO for help in
identifying any gaps in the Ministry of Labor's enforcement
of child labor, health and safety, and other commitments.


7. Patricio Contreras of the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center told
LabOff on May 19 that a high-level ILO delegation might visit
to Ecuador in July. The delegation would be composed of Luis
Somavia (ILO/Geneva),Ricardo Hernandez Pulido (ILO/Lima),
Guy Ryder (of international labor organization CIOSL),and
perhaps also including a representative from the AFL-CIO in
Washington. The visit would be intended to identify areas
for future ILO assistance.

Vice Minister to Head FTA Labor Table
--------------


8. Chiriboga did not seem familiar with details on the labor
aspects of an FTA, but was encouraged to hear that it
included respect for Ecuador's labor law and ILO commitments.
Chiriboga has named Labor Vice Minister Betty Amores as the
new head of the labor negotiating table for the Andean Free
Trade Agreement.

Comment
--------------


9. We are encouraged by the new Minister's interest in the
ILO and other tripartite efforts here to strengthen labor
rights. An ILO visit to Ecuador in July could help cement
this budding interest and advance labor rights. We will
continue to educate the new government on labor aspects of a
free trade agreement.
Chacon