Definition of tripartism

As it occurs with the concept of social dialogue, there is no precise definition or theoretical rendering of tripartism, despite it being commonly used in legal and social literature as well as in the documents produced by several international organisations, among them - and mainly - the ILO.

Some authors place tripartism in the convergence of two great contemporary positions: on one hand, the trend towards the achievement of further participation from all the elements of society in the process of development; on the other, the desire of individuals and social groups to effectively take part in making and putting into practice the decisions that affect them directly.

In turn, Valticós defines tripartism as the participation (from an equal status) of workers' and employers' representatives in the decisions that affect them. According to ILO, tripartism could be both regarded as a modality inherent to its structure and as one of its main recommendations in terms of labour policy to its member States.

The tripartite structure is enshrined in the ILO's Constitution (art. 3). This particular feature clearly distinguishes ILO from other international organisations. On the other hand, tripartism is also a means to reinforce democracy and to fight against poverty.

>> Definition of tripartism

>> Other documents on tripartism and the ILO

>> International Labour Standards concerning tripartism

>> Institutionality of vocational training and tripartism

>> Publications and documents

>> Links to vocational training organizations and institutions

In its recent report to the 91st session of the International Labour Conference, the ILO Director-General proposes "a flexible agenda for national discussions" aimed at the reduction of poverty through work. Social dialogue is one of the issues under discussion and it is developed according to the following four items:

- Promotion of tripartite mechanisms to strengthen the decent work dimensions of national economic and social development policies aimed at poverty reduction.
- Development of capacity-building programmes for employers' and workers' organizations, especially those organising the informal economy.
- Promotion of dialogue between the social partners and other representative community organizations, particularly with regard to local economic development.
- Reinforcement of social dialogue on specific policy issues such as social security, occupational health and safety and training and in key issues such as health, education, energy, transport and communications.

Other documents on tripartism and the ILO:

Participation and tripartism in the ILO's mandate

See also:
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/themes/tri.htm

International Labour Standards concerning tripartism

- C144 Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976

- R113 Consultation (Industrial and National Levels) Recommendation, 1960

- R152 Tripartite Consultation (Activities of the International Labour Organisation) Recommendation, 1976

- Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy
(adopted by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office at its 204th Session (Geneva, November 1977), as amended at its 279th Session (Geneva, November 2000))

Institutionality of vocational training and tripartism

Vocational training is only a part of the possible content of the tripartite interaction that may be developed between actors in labour relations.

Barbagelata distinguishes between three participation levels of social partners in the field of vocational training: enterprise-level participation, participation at the level of vocational training institutions and participation at the level of bodies contributing to policy formulation, programme design and execution and the promotion of vocational training. Articles 19.2 and 22.1 of Recommendation 150 are mainly concerned with the first level of participation; article 69.2 deals with participation in the management and monitoring of public training institutions; and articles 24.1, 69.1 and 70 are related to the political, regulatory, planning and execution levels of programmes for vocational training and their promotion reference.

Most public vocational training institutions in Latin America adopt some kind of social partners' participation in their governing bodies, apart from the official representation which often involves ministries participation.

Thus, the National Training Service (SENA) of Colombia has representatives from the Asociación Nacional de Industriales (National Industry Association), the Federación Nacional de Comerciantes (National Federation of Shopkeepers), the Sociedad de Agricultores (Farmers' Society), the Asociación Colombiana Popular de Industriales (Colombian Popular Industrial Association), the Confederaciones de trabajadores (Workers' Confederations) and the Organizaciones Campesinas (Rural Organisations) in its National Head Council; the National Training Institute (INA) of Costa Rica, includes the Ministers of Labour and Public Education, three representatives from the entrepreneurial sector and three representatives from the working sector in its Board of Directors; the Technical Institute for Training and Productivity (INTECAP) of Guatemala establishes that its Board of Directors is jointly integrated by the Minister of Labour and Economy, members of the private sector suggested by the Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial and Financial Associations (CACIF), the Chamber of Industry of Guatemala, the Chamber of Commerce, the Asociación General de Agricultores (General Association of Farmers), the lawful Agricultural Associations, the Asociación de Banqueros (Bankers Association) and the Asociación General de Instituciones de Seguros (General Association of Insurance Institutions).

The National Vocational Training Institute in Panama establishes that its National Committee - a body concerned with the overall operation of the institute - is integrated by the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, the Minister of Planning and Economic Policy, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Commerce and Industry as well as by three representatives from the employers, three representatives from the workers, three freelance and active craftsmen and three rural producers.

The Board of Directors of the National Institute of Technical - Vocational Training (INFOTEP) in the Dominican Republic is also tripartite: its head office is integrated by the Ministers of Labour and Education and also the representatives from Vocational Schools of non-formal training dependent on government bodies. Representatives from workers come from majority national trade unions Main Confederations or Federations; another representative comes from minority national trade unions Confederations or Federations and three other representatives are from the Private Employers Associations.

In Ecuador, the Board of Directors of the Ecuadorian Occupational Training Service (SECAP) is integrated by the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, the Minister of Public Education or the National Education Director, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Integration and two representatives from workers and employers, respectively.

Publications and documents

Barbagelata, Héctor-Hugo.
El tripartismo y la formación profesional en América Latina. (Tripartism and vocational training in Latin America). Cinterfor/ILO. 1979

Casilla Benzant, Juan.
La descentralización de la formación profesional: la experiencia de INFOTEP. (Descentralisation of Vocational Training: INFOTEP's experience) Cinterfor Bulletin Nº 147, September - December 1999.

Tripartite Commissions for the Promotion of Equal Opportunity in Employment.
Sub-site Gender, training and labour.

Tripartism, Employers and their Organisations.

Monteiro Leite, Elenice.
Agenda de una nueva institucionalidad para la educación profesional en América Latina y el Caribe. (Agenda of a new institutionality for vocational education in Latin America and The Caribbean). Cinterfor Bulletin Nº 147, September - December 1999.

Reconversión y capacitación laboral para el siglo XXI: Países Andinos (Labour training and retraining for the 21st Century: Andean Countries)
Proyecto "Fortalecimiento del Diálogo Social Tripartito y Capacitación y Reconversión Laboral en los Países de la subregión Andina". Lima. OIT, 1997
(Project "Strengthening of Tripartite Social Dialogue and Labour Training and Retraining in the Countries of the Andean subregion"), Lima. ILO, 1997

Rosal García, Mario Hugo
Situación de la formación profesional en la subregión de América Central, Panamá y República Dominicana
(The situation of vocational training in the Central American, Panama and Dominican Republic subregion)
Costa Rica. ILO. 1998

Serna, María del Mar; Ermida Uriarte, Oscar
El tripartismo. (Tripartism) In revista Derecho Laboral (Labour Law review). T. XXXVII 173-174 (January - June 1994)

Wurgaft, José
La Capacitación laboral en los Países Andinos
(Occupational training in the Andean Countries). Lima. ILO, 1998.

Links to Vocational Training Organizations and Institutions:

Vocational training institutions in Latin America and The Caribbean

Foundation for Continuing Vocational Training - FORCEM

The French Centre for research on Education, Training and Employment - Céreq

Documentary portal - Céreq

Some publications in Spanish concerning vocational training in France and the European Union are available on Cereq's Web site

Inovation in vocational training - INOFOR (Portugal)

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (United Kingdom)

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training - Cedefop

Gateway to the European Union

Activities of the European Union: Employment and Social Affairs.

The information network on education in Europe

International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training - UNEVOC