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G-8 labor meeting on environmentally friendly working to wrap up+
(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) NIIGATA, Japan, May 13_(Kyodo) _ Senior labor officials from the Group of Eight nations will wrap up their three-day meeting in Niigata on Tuesday after issuing a chairman's statement in which they are expected to agree on the need to seek environmentally friendly work practices and to act swiftly to redress regional and economic gaps.
The officials from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States are set to engage in talks on Tuesday morning on ways to rein in the effects of global warming from a labor perspective.
These will be the first discussions associating labor and environment issues to be held within the G-8 framework.
Through the talks, participants will aim to give impetus to consensus-building on the climate change issue, which is expected to top the agenda at the G-8 summit in July in Hokkaido, according to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
The statement, set to be issued by Japanese labor minister Masuzoe Yoichi, is also expected to underscore the need for G-8 nations to step up efforts in curbing greenhouse gas emissions in workplaces and incorporate possible global warming effects into employment policies.
On Monday, the officials recognized the need to create solid policies to address the so-called "working poor," one negative consequence arising from globalization, as well as to promote a work-life balance and career development amid long life spans.
The statement is seen as urging the member states to design labor policies aimed at supporting workers and regions that fail to benefit from globalization.
Also taking part in the meeting are labor officials from the European Union, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the International Labor Organization. Thailand and Indonesia are invited to attend Tuesday's session.
Copyright ? 2008 Kyodo News International, Inc.
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