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On this page:
International Labour Standards
• ILO supervisory system
• ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
• Less formal standards
• Codes of conduct
• ILO links
• ILO databases
International Labour Standards
The ILO is the source of international labour law that is embodied in its Conventions and Recommendations and the documents that emanate from the supervisory mechanism responsible for the application of those international labour standards. The ILO's Conventions are international treaties, subject to ratification by ILO member States. Its Recommendations are non-binding instruments -- typically dealing with the same subjects as Conventions.
The texts of Conventions and Recommendations are available online via the NORMLEX database. These documents are available in hard copy in the ILO Library.
Consult the NORMLEX country profiles to find information on national labour law and the application of international labour standards.
ILO supervisory system
The application of international labour standards is enforced by ILO
supervisory mechanism established under various articles of the ILO Constitution. Under Article 19 member States are required to report at
appropriate intervals on non-ratified Conventions and on Recommendations indicating the extent to which effect has been given or is proposed to be
given to those instruments. Under Article 22, reports are periodically requested from States which have ratified ILO Conventions.
NORMLEX
brings together information on International Labour Standards (such as ratification information, reporting requirements, comments of the ILO's supervisory bodies, etc.) as well as national labour and social security laws. It includes the NATLEX database as well as the information which was previously contained in ILOLEX, APPLIS and LIBSYND databases.
A thorough understanding of international labour standards and the structure of the supervisory systems is essential for effective use of the
NORMLEX database. It is suggested that you consult the International
Labour Standards web site or consult the following publication: Rules of the game: A brief introduction to international labour standards, 2009 (pdf 1.44 MB)
The ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
The
ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and
its Follow-up, adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 86th
Session, 18 June 1998, marked a renewed universal commitment amongst
Members, even if they have not ratified the Conventions in question, to
respect, promote and realize these principles: freedom of association,
effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, elimination
of all forms of forced and compulsory labour, effective abolition of child
labour and elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and
occupation.
The Follow-up is promotional in nature; it will provide a new avenue
for the flow of information about these rights and principles as they
relate to economic and social development needs. It also makes clear that
the follow-up is not a substitute for the established supervisory
mechanism for ILO Conventions and Recommendations.
Less formal standards
The annual International Labour Conference, as well as other ILO
bodies, often agree upon documents less formal than Conventions and
Recommendations. These take such forms as codes of conduct, resolutions
and declarations. These documents are often intended to have a normative
effect but are not referred to as part of the ILO's system of
international labour standards.
Multinational enterprises
The ILO Governing Body's
Tripartite Declaration of Principles
concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, 2006 (pdf 212 KB) is perhaps the most
well known of the "informal" international labour standards. In the
complex and controversial area of the activities of multinational
enterprises and social policy, the ILO has established principles --
interlinked with its international labour standards -- which should govern
the relationship of governments and the social partners. The
Tripartite Declaration is a voluntary code, the result of a consensus
between governments, employers and workers. It is the only universal
text relating to the labour and social aspect of the activities of
multinational enterprises. Its principles in the fields of employment,
training, conditions of work and life and industrial relations address
governments, employers, including multinational enterprises
and workers.
Information on the Tripartite Declaration and documents related to its
reporting mechanism can be found in the NORMLEX database and at
Multinational Enterprises's website.
Resolutions and conclusions
In addition to Conventions and Recommendations, there are Resolutions adopted by the International Labour Conference and various other ILO organs, such as
technical committees of experts, regional conferences and technical meetings. They are available online in full-text in Labordoc, the ILO Library's database.
In general, resolutions and conclusions respond to specific situations
and needs which makes them particularly valuable when planning the ILO's
technical cooperation activities. They may cover specific categories
of workers or deal in a detailed manner with particular technical themes,
sometimes including new definitions and concepts and the most recent
socioeconomic developments on which the Organization expresses itself.
Often, such resolutions and conclusions give the
international labour standards a fresh and sometimes new emphasis.
Codes of conduct
Some work of the ILO's technical departments involves further
developing, amplifying and adding detail (for purposes of technical
assistance) to international labour standards. The result often comes in
the form of guidelines or codes of conduct which provide important
practical ideas about the implementation of international labour standards.
For example, in the maritime sector,
guidelines have been produced for maritime industry labour legislation and
inspection of labour conditions on board ship. There are also many
useful guidelines produced in the occupational safety and health
area. Codes of conduct can be found in the ILO Library.
Access to these materials is provided through the ILO Library's
database Labordoc.
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