International Labour Organization

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION

• Established in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League of Nations.
• Became the first affiliated specialized agency of the United Nations in 1946.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Founding Mission: social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace.
• Promotes internationally recognized human and labour rights.
• Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969.
  1. For improving peace among classes
  2. Pursuing decent work and justice for workers
  3. Providing technical assistance to other developing nations
• The organization has played a key role in:
  • Ensuring labour rights during the Great Depression
  • Decolonization process
  • The creation of Solidarno ( trade union) in Poland
  • The victory over apartheid in South Africa
• Today it is providing substantial support in the building of an ethical and productive framework for fair globalization.
• The basis of the ILO is the tripartite principle, i.e. the negotiations within the organization are held between the representatives of governments, trade unions, and member-states’ employers.

INDIA AND ILO

• India is a founding member of the ILO and it has been a permanent member of the ILO Governing Body since 1922.
• In India, the first ILO Office was started in 1928. The decades of productive partnership between the ILO and its constituents has mutual trust and respect as underlying principles and is grounded in building sustained institutional capacities and strengthening capacities of partners.
• India has ratified six out of the eight-core/fundamental ILO conventions. These conventions are:
  • Forced Labour Convention (No. 29)
  • Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No.105)
  • Equal Remuneration Convention (No.100)
  • Discrimination (Employment Occupation) Convention (No.111)
  • Minimum Age Convention (No.138)
  • Worst forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182)
• India has not ratified the two core/fundamental conventions, namely Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).
• The main reason for non-ratification of ILO conventions No.87 & 98 is due to certain restrictions imposed on the government servants.
• The ratification of these conventions would involve granting of certain rights that are prohibited under the statutory rules, for the government employees, namely, the right to strike, to openly criticize government policies, to freely accept a financial contribution, to freely join foreign organizations etc.

Prelims Question

Q. Consider the following statements regarding International Labour Organization:
1.It was established in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League of Nations.
2.India is a founding member of the ILO and it has been a permanent member of the ILO Governing Body.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a)1 only
b)2 only
c)Both 1 and 2
d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to the Prelims Question