ILO / UN Global Compact Policy Dialogue
This policy dialogue conference took place in London on October 6th and 7th looking at issues across the spectrum of equalities issues. Delegates came from many countries including South Africa, Peru, Brazil, Thailand, Shi Lanka and a number of our European neighbours.Dave Parr spoke on a panel hosted by Debra Perry of the ILO (based in Bangkok, Thailand) giving a workers perspective on disability employment. The other panel members were Shriyantha Perera of ID Lanka, a Shi Lankan alcoholic beverages manufacture/bottler, Megamali Aluwihare from the Employers Feration of Cylon and Léonie Watson of Nomensa, a UK IT company specialising in accessibility.
Shriyantha Perera is the Chief Executive Officer of ID Lanka Limited (IDL). IDL is one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of Alcoholic Beverages in Sri Lanka. Mr Perera is a Chartered Accountant by profession and has been with IDL for over 4 years. Prior to his current position, he has held senior financial management positions in Sri Lanka and overseas. Mr Perera is the founder Chairman of the Network on Disability of the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC). The Network was established in 2005. The EFC is a pioneer employer organization in Sri Lanka, with a history of over 75 years.
Meghamali Aluwihare is Senior Industrial Relations Advisor with the Employer’s Federation of Ceylon (EFC). The EFC is identified in Sri Lanka and overseas as the National Employer Organization handling employment and social issues while providing diverse professional services to its multisectoral membership. She specializes in Labour law and Industrial Relations. In this capacity, Ms Aluwihare advises 23 Plantation Management Companies (for a total of about 500 tea rubber and coconut estates) on all matters pertaining to labour law and industrial relations, representing them in disputes before the Labour Tribunal, Industrial Courts and the Labour Department and negotiating Collective Agreements. As the coordinator of the Employer Network on Disability set up in 1999, she facilitates employment and vocational training for disabled individuals in the corporate sector. She is also the EFC focal point for gender and Child Labour Issues.
Léonie Watson became visually impaired after entering employment in the I.T. industry. Since becoming disabled she has changed jobs to become specialised in offering I.T. solutions to either enable people to access computers as individuals or to help ensure computer products, software, websites etc are accessible to disabled people in general.
This provided an excellent rounded panel. Dave gave an overview of the project then addressed Ms Perry’s questions regarding disability as a trade union issue, the relevance of the Champions programme for small and medium enterprises and advice for other unions wanting to set up a similar programme.
For more information on this event visit http://www.policydialogue2006.org/
8th October 2006
