1. Asia is undergoing a period of rapid growth, with China playing a significant role in this process. In order to better leverage on this, and ensure a balanced development, it is important that Asian countries put in place a coherent and sustained human resources development and training strategy. This will help to develop a skilled, adaptable and flexible workforce that is able to perform the multiple tasks required of a high performance economy. A good strategy would also ensure that we help countries to create decent work through a development policy that is sustainable, will generate full employment and ensure social inclusivity.
2. To develop such a strategy, the support and contributions of the social partners is critical. Social dialogue on critical HRD and training needs are well established in many countries. Through bipartite and tripartite agreements on lifelong learning and training, many governments, employers and trade unions have engaged in collective bargaining at the enterprise, sector or national level. The agreements lay down workers' rights and certain regulatory conditions. They have also contributed to institutional frameworks at sector or national levels, often with funding support from the government. Collective bargaining and dialogue with the government have resulted in the establishment of training funds that finance lifelong learning and training for example in Denmark , France , the Netherlands and Sweden . In Asia , examples include Malaysia and Singapore .
3. In last year's discussions in the Committee on Human Resources Development and Training at the International Labour Conference, we discussed a draft text for the purpose of having a Recommendation. Members agreed on the importance of strengthening social dialogue on training at the different levels – international, national, regional, local, sectoral and enterprise.
4. It is well accepted that the social partners can play an important role in the following areas:
Mobilising the necessary resources and ensuring adequate investment in training and lifelong learning;
Developing and implementing effective policies and programmes on lifelong learning and training;
Identifying new needs in education and training, and the most effective methods and approaches in reaching out to adult learners;
Ensuring effective collaboration among the various partners and stakeholders, including the public and private training providers;
Developing policies and institutions for all forms of learning, even informal learning;
Ensuring equal access and opportunities for all to education and training including women, the youth, disabled people, older workers, migrants, workers in SMEs, the informal sector, rural sector and the self-employed.

Social Dialogue in Singapore
5. Social dialogue is firmly entrenched in Singapore . Unions are widely consulted on social and economic matters. There are both formal and informal structures where social dialogue takes place. One enduring example of social dialogue in Singapore is the National Wages Council, which has been in existence since 1972. The NWC is a permanent committee where the tripartite partners are represented and which issues yearly wage guidelines. The NWC has also made recommendations to promote worker training. One such recommendation to employers is to set aside 4% of the payroll for workers' training.
6. There are many training institutions in Singapore providing both pre-employment and in employment training. Unions are represented on the National University of Singapore, the 6 polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education . Unions are also represented on high level policy making bodies such as the Lifelong Learning Fund and the Skills Development Fund.
7. At the individual enterprise level, many unions work closely with their managements in identifying relevant training programmes for workers. Some of these programmes have enabled workers to convert from their daily rated status to monthly rated workers, and therefore ensuing greater job stability. Unions and managements will also negotiate and provide for a training clause in their collective agreements.
8. We have several major training programmes to reskill workers. One such programme is the Skills Redevelopment Programme which, to date, has trained about 100,000 workers. The government provides the funds this programme. The NTUC also operates the NTUC Education and Training Fund which heavily subsidises training programmes which are not supported by employers but which would help workers to acquire skills that will ensure their future employability.
9. Through social dialogue, the unions in Singapore have been able to play an active role in influencing policies and in bringing workers' perspectives to training. In this way, we have ensured that workers remain employable and are able to perform the new jobs that are created through fresh investments flowing into the econom