The union organisations also point to the continuing incoherence in global policy-making, with national governments promoting one set of policies at the International Labour Organisation and other agencies, while supporting contradictory policies at the international financial institutions and the WTO.
"A coherent approach is badly lacking, to the detriment of workers and those seeking employment in countries around the world", said WCL General Secretary Willy Thys. "Governments need to get their act together, and be consistent in solving the global employment crisis", he added.
The poor prospects for most young people to find decent jobs features prominently in the Statement, which points to a 20 percent rise in global youth unemployment, to a total of 85 million, over the past decade.
The high concentration of women in the lowest-paid and most exploitative jobs, and continuing feminisation of poverty happening across the world, is also addressed. Women's rights at work, childcare, maternity protection and a series of other measures are highlighted as points for action.
The unions will also use the Geneva event to call for a complete "u-turn" in World Bank and International Monetary Fund policies, and a stronger role for the ILO on the global stage.
A key consequence of this would be formalisation of the work being done by tens of millions of informal and unprotected workers, which would mean a major step toward meetingthe UN's Millennium Development Goals by giving those concerned the possibility to earn decent incomes and improve their working conditions.
The Statement appeals for the UN's Economic and Social Council to be given a key coordinating role to ensure global coherence, with the authority to guide other UN agencies and the WTO, IMF and World Bank.
"Decent work for all must become a global, universal goal throughout the international institutions." says the Statement in conclusion.
International Confederation Of Free Trade Unions
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