Questões de Concurso

Read the text below entitled “Recent developments” in order to answer questions 27 to 30:

Recent developments
Source: www.bls.gov (Adapted)
Jan 28th, 2010

    The recent financial crisis has resulted in large losses for the insurance industry. Industry conditions in the near term remain tenuous, particularly as many companies will continue to experience declining revenues, investment losses, and credit rating downgrades, which can affect an insurer’s ability to repay debt by having to pay a higher interest rate. Additionally, insurance companies that were trading in credit default swaps and other risky instruments without sufficient hedging suffered especially hard, and some companies even became insolvent. Companies with prudent risk management strategies also suffered large losses, because most investment instruments owned by insurance companies experienced falling values as they were being sold or marked down as the stock market deteriorated in late 2008. Nonetheless, as insurers rebuild capital and adhere to stricter Federal regulations, the insurance industry is likely to stabilize.
    The Internet is an important tool for insurance carriers in reaching potential and existing customers. Insurance carriers use the Internet to enable customers to access online account and billing information, view insurance quotes, and purchase policies.

The International Labour Organization

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues.
Origins and history
The ILO was founded in 1919, in the wake of a destructive war, to pursue a vision based on the premise that universal, lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon decent treatment of working people. The ILO became the fi rst specialized agency of the UN in 1946.
ILO’s vision of decent work
Work is central to people’s well-being. In addition to providing income, work can pave the way for broader social and economic advancement, strengthening individuals, their families and communities. Such progress, however, hinges on work that is decent. Decent work sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives.
Tripartism and social dialogue
The ILO is the only ‘tripartite’ United Nations agency in that it brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers to jointly shape policies and programmes. This unique arrangement gives the ILO an edge in incorporating ‘real world’ knowledge about employment and work.

Source: http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/lang--en/index.htm