International Labour Organization (ILO)

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is part of the United Nations. It is a global organization that promotes social justice and ensures human and labor rights around the world. The organization was founded after World War I and absorbed into the United Nations (UN) after its creation in 1945. The ILO’s goal is to promote and maintain peace by ensuring social justice and labor rights for people worldwide.

One important concept in the ILO is tripartism, or the idea that workers, employers, and governments all have an equal voice. The tripartism system makes the ILO unique, as most similar organizations cater to one group more than the others.

ILO Principles

The operations of the ILO are guided by four principles, namely:

• promoting the fundamental rights of individuals in the workplace
• assisting in the creation of employment opportunities for workers
• endorsing social protections for different groups of people
• promoting negotiation among workers, employers, and government

The organization hosts regular conferences in which workers, employers, and government representatives come together to discuss issues, negotiate solutions, and set rules and laws. The ILO also helps to better conditions in member countries by assisting in the implementation of existing policies and by offering training and educational opportunities to its members.

To join the ILO, a nation must be a member of the UN and formally agree, via letter to the ILO’s director-general, to abide by its constitution. New members are vetted and accepted through a voting process of current members that requires a two-thirds majority for success.

Brief History

The ILO was founded in 1919 as part of the Treaty of Versailles, which brought about the end of World War I. The countries behind the treaty believed that social justice would help bring about and maintain world peace. Representatives from Belgium, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, Japan, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States drafted a constitution that created and governed the ILO. The constitution communicated the organization’s purpose and confirmed its goals of improving working conditions, increasing wages, protecting children, and more.

The ILO met for the first time in 1919 and immediately began to adopt member countries. These members made a number of recommendations that were adopted by the ILO addressing important labor issues such as working hours, maternity protection, and unemployment rights.

The ILO moved its headquarters to Geneva, Switzerland, in 1920. In 1945, its members adopted the Declaration of Philadelphia, which outlined the goals and objectives of the organization. This declaration was added to the group's constitution. In 1946, the ILO was absorbed into the newly formed United Nations (UN).

After World War II, the organization continued to expand. The ILO opened the International Institute for Labour Studies and the International Training Centre in the 1960s. In 1969, fifty years after it was created, the ILO won the Nobel Peace Prize for its work at creating peace through social justice.

The ILO had forty-five member countries when it was first created. By the 1970s, this number had risen to more than 120. By the late 2010s and into the 2020s, the ILO included 187 member countries and continued to influence labor and business worldwide.

ILO Structure

The ILO has three main branches: the International Labour Conference, the Governing Body, and the International Labour Office. These branches help the ILO to meet the needs of workers, employers, and governments.

The International Labour Conference is made up of workers, employers, and government representatives from member countries. It hosts an annual conference in June in Geneva, Switzerland. The conference helps create labor standards and opens discussions on current issues surrounding labor and employment. One worker delegate, one employer delegate, and two government delegates from each member country attend this conference.

The Governing Body is made up of worker, employer, and government representatives from member countries. Additionally, some countries have permanent representation in the Governing Body. The Governing Body is considered the executive branch of the organization, and it is responsible for electing the director-general of the organization and making decisions about ILO policies and agendas. This group meets three times each year, in March, June, and November. The group also holds occasional regional meetings to address specific issues.

The International Labour Office is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, but has forty additional regional locations in member countries. The International Labour Office employs over 3,500 people. The Office helps guide the activities of the ILO, and is supervised by the Governing Body. The Office maintains a research center, which members can access and use.

The ILO also includes a separate Administrative Tribunal, which hears complaints against the ILO and other UN organizations. The tribunal is made up of seven judges from different countries. Judges are recommended by the ILO Governing Body and approved by the International Labour Conference. The tribunal meets twice a year for three-week sessions, and is supported by a small, permanent legal staff.

Bibliography

"About the ILO." International Labour Organization, www.ilo.org/about-ilo. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

"How the ILO works." International Labour Organization, www.ilo.org/about-ilo/how-ilo-works. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

"International Labour Organization - History." NobelPrize, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1969/labour/history. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

"International Labour Standards." International Labour Organization, www.ilo.org/international-labour-standards. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

"Mission and Impact of the ILO." International Labour Organization, www.ilo.org/about-ilo/mission-and-impact-ilo. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

"Origins and History." International Labour Organization, www.ilo.org/about-ilo/history-ilo. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.