ILAB Involvement in International Organizations

Organization of American States (OAS)

OAS brings together the nations of the Western Hemisphere to strengthen cooperation on democratic values, defend common interests and confront shared problems such as poverty, terrorism, illegal drugs and corruption. It is made up of 35 member states: the independent nations of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The government of Cuba, a member state, has been suspended from participation since 1962; thus only 34 countries participate actively

Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (IACML) is a meeting of the Western Hemisphere's Labor Ministers held about every two years under the auspices of the OAS to promote hemispheric cooperation on labor issues. The Mexican Secretariat of Labor and Social Protection is chair pro tempore of the XIV IACML. Trinidad and Tobago will follow as the chair pro tempore when they host the next labor ministerial in September 2007.

The IACML responds to the labor mandates agreed to by President Bush and other heads of state in the Summit of the Americas process. Secretary Chao led the U.S. delegation to the XIV IACML, hosted by Mexico in September 2005. A number of outcomes from that meeting were incorporated into the IV Summit of the Americas, in November 2005, where President Bush met with heads of state to discuss the topic: "Creating Jobs to Fight Poverty and Strengthen Democratic Governance." The Plan of Action of Mexico, endorsed by Labor Ministers in 2005, provides for the continued examination of the labor dimensions of free trade agreements and regional integration processes within the IACML Working Group 1. The U.S. vice-chairs the IACML Working Group 2, which focuses on strengthening the capacities of Labor Ministries to respond to the challenges of promoting decent work in the context of globalization, with an emphasis on the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.