MultiForum Cono Sur 2009 is organised jointly by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security of Argentina and the International Labour Organization (ILO).under the motto: “PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE LABOUR PRACTICES DURING THE CRISIS"

The Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security of Argentina, the Minister of Labour of Uruguay, the Vice-Minister of Labour of Paraguay as well as representatives of the Ministry of Labour of Brazil and Chile participated in the MULTIFORUM CONO SUR 09. Also, Jean Maninat, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Daniel Funes de Rioja and Gerardo Martinez, Members of the (ILO) International Labour Organization's Governing Body, played an active role.

Gerardo Martinez, as leader member of Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, TUCA., General Secretary of the Coordination of Central Unions of the South Cone and Regional President of the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) for Latin America and the Caribbean, showed the building workers’ viewpoint, highlighting the features of the building industry and the importance of Professional Secretariat in the signature of Master Agreements with multinational building and wood enterprises. He also emphasized that these agreements should be useful basic standards for countries, so as to achieve unrestricted working conditions for workers and to be used as basis due to the lack of national regulations.