The economic downturn linked to the Covid-19 pandemic has had a more severe impact than expected on employment, warned on Tuesday the International Labor Organization which next week is organizing a virtual world summit on the subject.
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Fifth ILO Coronavirus Report Shows World Hours Worked in Second Quarter Down 14% (Equivalent to 400 Million Jobs Based on a 48-Hour Work Week ), compared to the fourth quarter 2019. This percentage constitutes a clear deterioration compared to the estimates of the previous report published on May 27 which predicted a decrease of 10.7%.
The world picture gets dark
The new figures reflect the worsening situation in many regions in recent weeks, particularly in developing economies, the ILO said in a statement. “ The job crisis is getting worse. Why? Quite simply because of the trajectory of the pandemic, "said ILO director general Guy Ryder during an interview with AFP.
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While the vast majority of workers worldwide (93%) live in countries where certain types of workplaces remain closed, the strongest restrictions are applied in the Americas, the report notes.
At the regional level, the loss of working hours during the second quarter of the year was 18.3% on the American continent, 13.9% in Europe and Central Asia, 13.5% in Asia and the Pacific, 13.2% in the Arab States and 12.1% in Africa. South America recorded the largest drop (-20%), detailed Guy Ryder.
Hope for a fair recovery
The ILO also presents three recovery scenarios in the second half of 2020, with a decrease in working hours ranging from -1.2% to -11.9%, and highlights the fact that long-term results will depend on " the future trajectory of the pandemic and the political choices of the public authorities ”.
The ILO is organizing a high-level virtual meeting on Covid-19 and the world of work, from July 7 to 9, to which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is to address (July 8).
On this occasion, Guy Ryder “ hopes that governments, employers and workers will take this opportunity to present and listen to innovative ideas, discuss the lessons learned from the crisis, and propose concrete plans to work together to implement 'a recovery rich in jobs, inclusive, fair and sustainable '. " We all have to take up the challenge of building a better future for work, " he concluded.