COVID-19 and social dialogue

Social dialogue, based on respect for freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, has a crucial role to play in designing policies to promote social justice and buttress other measures by governments to protect jobs, incomes and companies. As in times of prosperity, tripartite and bipartite social dialogue in a context of crisis can contribute to effectively reconciling competing interests and building trust in, commitment to, and ownership of policies.

Since the initial phase of the COVID-19 outbreak, social dialogue have played an important role in shaping national policy responses during the pandemic, in a majority of ILO member states. The ILO has intensified its support to the tripartite constituents, with a view to placing social dialogue at the heart of policy-making in crisis-responses, in line with international labour standards and drawing on best international practice. Numerous Briefs and other material on the role of social dialogue during the pandemic, covering a wide range of areas (Occupational safety and health at work, social protection, etc.) and regions have been released or are under preparation.

  1. Green recovery with jobs through employment policies

    Guidelines for shaping employment policies that support a green recovery and a just transition

    30 August 2022

    Theses Guidelines assist ILO constituents and supporting technical specialists to design and implement employment policies that enhance a green recovery from the Covid-19 crisis and also contribute to a just transition over the long term

  2. Report

    Income support for non-covered Workers during COVID-19: a review of policy responses

    26 August 2022

    This paper provides an overview on the income support measures for non-covered workers implemented in response to the COVID-19 crisis, describing the collection of measures and policies in place in each selected country.

  3. Policy brief

    Policy sequences during and after COVID-19: A review of labour market policy patterns

    24 June 2022

    This policy brief tracks the sequential logic of labour market policies across a sample of countries from all world regions.

  4. Report

    Promoting youth employment during COVID-19: A review of policy responses

    24 June 2022

    This report gives an overview on actual policy responses in the area of youth employment during the COVID-19 crisis in 20 selected countries.

  5. Report

    Job retention schemes during COVID-19: A review of policy responses

    24 June 2022

    This report provides an update on job retention policies in a sample of 20 countries representing the main world regions as well as the diverse types of job retention schemes, in particular short-time work, furlough and wage subsidy schemes as they have been implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  6. Technical brief

    Alternative Data Sources for Labour Market Diagnostics and Policy Response: Applications in the COVID-19 era and beyond

    21 June 2022

    This brief explores the opportunities and challenges posed by non-conventional data sources, offering policy makers a resource in how to improve employment diagnostics and resultant policy response.

  7. Report

    Lessons learned from employment diagnostics during the COVID-19 crisis

    27 May 2022

    The overall objective of this document is to provide policymakers, development practitioners and social partners with a better understanding of the different types of employment diagnostic approaches that have been undertaken during the Covid-19 pandemic.

  8. Online

    Gender-responsive employment policies for a job-rich and fair recovery

    A new generation of gender-responsive employment policies can play an important role to promote an inclusive and job-rich recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. This webinar will bring together experts and policymakers from different regions to share knowledge on how they have produced specific diagnostics on how women and men have been impacted by the crisis, and the ways in which they have progressed in implementing gender-responsive policies.

  9. Publication

    From policy to results: Guidelines for implementation of national employment policies

    07 December 2021

    These Guidelines aim to support ILO’s member States in designing and implementing integrated national employment policies. They suggest a comprehensive framework of implementation and a range of tools and methodologies which covers the whole NEPs process systematically from policy design to policy results.

  10. Publication

    Employment Situation in Latin America and the Caribbean (Number 25): Policies to protect labour relations and hiring subsidies amid the COVID-19 pandemic

    30 November 2021

    This edition of the Employment Situation in Latin America and the Caribbean report, jointly prepared twice-yearly by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) analyses the effects of the crisis caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the region’s labour markets during 2020 and 2021, and they stress the importance of the policies implemented by countries to mitigate this impact.