Principles of International Labor Organization Essay
The International Labor Organization (ILO) is a United Nations (UN) agency that establishes internationally recognized labor standards in order to safeguard workers’ rights across the world. It is a tripartite organization made up of three main parties: employees, employers, and governments. Following World War I, the ILO was formed as a member of the League of Nations.
The ILO is unique among UN organizations in that it is the only one in which employees and employers have a formal voice, whereas all other UN organizations are administered by their respective governments.
From conducting research to disseminating information on the world of work, the ILO engages in and conducts a wide range of tasks. It has regional headquarters in numerous capital cities, with its headquarters in Geneva.
Since the International Labor Organization is an international organization, it helps to ensure that employees’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining are protected.
It also looks into the issue of child and forced labor, as well as persons from marginalized groups, and seeks to discourage it by raising awareness and aiding those who have been impacted to return to and resume regular lives.
The ILO also funds a vast number of technical assistance and cooperation programs, many of which aid in the capacity building of employers and workers for businesses in developing countries.
International Labor Organization Motives
The ILO’s primary motivation was humanitarian since workers’ working circumstances were rife with issues and they were exploited with little regard for their health, families, or development.
The second motivation was political since no major improvements in working conditions and an ever-increasing number of people in the labor market as a result of industrialization were causing social dissatisfaction and, in some cases, uprisings.
The ILO’s third motivation was economic, as it would inevitably affect the cost of production, putting any industry or country at a competitive disadvantage. The ILO’s preamble states that “the failure of any nation to adopt humane labor conditions is an obstacle in the way of other nations who wish to improve the conditions in their own countries.”
The ILO’s involvement in creating and monitoring international labor standards in the form of conventions, guidelines, and Codes of Practice, which establish minimum norms of basic labor rights, is the most essential component of its activity.
