Publications on freedom of association

May 2022

  1. Flagship Report

    Social Dialogue Report 2022: Collective bargaining for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery

    05 May 2022

    This first edition of this new ILO flagship report focuses on collective bargaining.

November 2021

  1. Report

    Covid-19, Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue

    18 November 2021

    This report attempts to shed light on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the process and outcomes of collective bargaining in particular and social dialogue more generally. It is based upon the responses of more than 200 trade union officials to an online global survey carried out between March and May of 2021 and includes the insights of frontline union negotiators who were subjected to in-depth interviews by the authors.

November 2020

  1. Global Deal for Decent Work & Inclusive Growth - Thematic Brief

    Social Dialogue for the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy

    20 November 2020

    Social dialogue has a vital role to play in supporting the transition from the informal to the formal economy. Drawing on case studies from around the world, this Global Deal thematic brief illustrates how social dialogue, involving governments and representative employers’ and workers’ organizations has, in different ways and at different levels, contributed to the transition to formality and the reduction of decent work deficits in the informal economy. It aims to assist all concerned stakeholders to apply social dialogue for the design and implementation of effective formalization strategies, in the context of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and the relevant international labour standards.

  2. EU - ILO comparative review

    Facilities for trade union officials and members to exercise their rights – A comparative review

    13 November 2020

    The report seeks to highlight the common denominator of the two main issues which will be analysed: the right to organize, id est the right to form and join organizations of workers or employers, and the facilities granted to workers’ representatives. The former is of a more fundamental nature (freedom of assembly, non-discrimination and non-interference), whereas the latter (facilities) is more technical. The countries which will be examined are the following: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

  3. EU - ILO comparative review

    Individual and collective dispute resolution systems - A comparative review

    13 November 2020

    The present report investigates specific individual and collective labour dispute resolution practices and institutions in a selected sample of countries: Australia, Belgium, France, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The countries were selected to reflect broadly different legal and industrial relations systems with diverse forms and traditions of dispute resolution.

  4. EU - ILO report

    Policy recommendations on individual and collective dispute resolution systems and facilities for trade union officials and members to exercise their rights

    13 November 2020

    These policy recommendations address some areas of possible changes in the Greek labour law framework that could modernise dispute settlement systems on the one hand, and facilities for trade union officials and members in Greece on the other. They are formulated in response to specific queries and comments received from the Greek government and the social partners.

May 2020

  1. Global Deal for Decent Work & Inclusive Growth - Thematic Brief

    Social Dialogue and the Future of Work

    12 May 2020

March 2020

  1. Guidebook on

    How and why to collect and use data on industrial relations

    06 March 2020

    This guidebook is intended to support ILO’s tripartite constituents in the collection of data on industrial relations, including on trade union membership, on the coverage of collective bargaining agreements and on strikes and lockouts.

January 2020

  1. Freedom of association and collective bargaining

    Opportunities and challenges in formation and functioning of trade unions in Sri Lanka

    29 January 2020

    This paper was prepared for trade unions in Sri Lanka to strategise on opportunities and challenges in freedom of association and collective bargaining, in accordance with ILO Conventions No. 87 and No. 98.

November 2019

  1. Publication

    Web Application on Freedom of Association

    02 November 2019

    How to secure and promote freedom of association? This web application provides an overview of the principles on freedom of association and explains how ILO procedures and bodies can be best used to secure and promote freedom of association across the world.