[1]India and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a framework for conducting a dialogue and to cooperate on future labour and employment issues.
The MoU signed here on Thursday by Indian Minister of Labour and Employment Mallikarjun Kharge and US Secretary of Labour Hilda L. Solis will enable Indian and US experts to begin a dialogue on issues like skills development, youth employment, mine safety and health, and occupation safety and health.
"The road map laid down in the Memorandum of Understanding will facilitate very close cooperation and interaction between our two countries and bring about improvements in the life of workers and their working conditions," said Kharge.
"Our governments share a firm commitment to workers and their rights," said Solis. "Today marks the launch of a new programme to share valuable information that will ensure that workers' rights are respected."
The memorandum is an outgrowth of a 2010 meeting between Kharge and Solis following a conference of the G20 Labour and employment ministers hosted by the US Department of Labour.
Kharge also expressed interest in increasing Indian know-how in the areas of accreditation systems, self-regulation and auditing through collaboration, exchange and sharing of ideas, with the US.
India, he said looked forward to a possible tie-up for training and information exchange in areas of underground and open cast mining, disaster control and emergency management, statistical analysis and development of data bank.
The memorandum, Kharge said would help India in further developing an appropriate employment strategy for inclusive growth and strengthening bonds between the people of India and the US.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/hildasolis-apjpgcropdisplayjpg-867