INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STANDARDS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

• Authors: Sengenberger Werner
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

The foundation of the International Labour Organization is the off spring of a reform project to improve labour conditions in the face of revolutionary movements during and after World War I. In its 100-year history, the ILO has created a comprehensive system of minimum international labour standards largely laid down in Conventions and Recommendations, together with a supervisory mechanism and technical assistance for the application and control of the norms. The ILO norms are universally valid, independently of a country’s level of development, culture, tradition, and category of worker or enterprise. Conventions classified as fundamental are rated as human rights. They have to be respected and promoted by ILO member countries independently of ratification. ILO labour standards are directed to set an effective floor to wages, hours of work, conditions of employment and social services for all countries engaged in international competition in order to prevent social dumping and achieve fair and stable globalization. The relevance of the standards has grown with the successive stages of global economic interdependence and integration, driven by multi-national companies, cross-national supply chains and trade agreements. Abundant empirical evidence shows that the observance of ILO rules generates economic, social and political dividends.

Keywords

EN

International Labour Standards; Economic Globalization

• Publisher: Institute of Labor and Social Studies, Warsaw
• Journal: Polityka Społeczna
• Year: 2019
• Volume: 46
• Issue: 1(15) ENG HOW DECENT WILL BE WORK IN THE FUTURE? CENTENARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION
• Pages: 6-10

Contributors

author

Sengenberger Werner

• former director of the Employment Strategy Department of the ILO; former director of the ILO Office for Central and Eastern Europe in Budapest

References

• Egger Ph., Sengenberger, W., eds. (2003), Decent work in Denmark: Employment, social efficiency and economic security, ILO, Geneva.
• Galli, R., Kucera, D. (2002), Labour standards and informal employment in Latin America. Discussion Paper, International Institute of Labour Studies, Geneva.
• ILO (2002), Decent work and the informal economy, Report VI, International Labour Conference, 90th Session, Geneva.
• ILO (2016), Non-standard employment around the world: Understanding challenges, shaping prospects, Geneva.
• ILO (2018a), Freedom of Association. Compilation of decisions of the Committee on Freedom of Association, 6th edition, Geneva.
• ILO (2018b), Women and men in the informal economy. A statistical picture, Third edition, Geneva.
• ILO (2019a), Report of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, International Labour Conference, 108th Session, Geneva.
• ILO (2019b), Work for a brighter future: Report of the Global Commission of the Future of Work, Geneva.
• ILO (2019c), Rules of the game: An introduction to the standards-related work of the International Labour Organization (Century edition), Geneva.
• Kott, S., Droux J., eds. (2013), Globalizing social rights: The ILO and Beyond, ILO Century Series, Geneva.
• Kucera, D. (2002), Core labour standards and foreign direct investment, “International Labour Review”, 14(1–2).
• Li, X. (1996), Asian values and the universality of human rights, in: Report from the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, Maryland, Vol. 16(2).
• Maul, D. (2013), Human rights, development and decolonization. The International Labour Organization 1940–70, Pelgrave Macmillan, ILO.
• McCann, D., Lee, S. (2011), Regulating for decent work: New directions in labour market regulation, ILO and Pelgrave, Geneva.
• Myrdal, G. (1994), The ILO in the cross-fire: Would it survive the social clause, in: Sengenberger W., Campbell D. (eds.), International Labour Standards and Economic Interdependence, International Institute for Labour Studies, Geneva.
• OECD (2019), Employment Outlook 2019: The Future of Work, Paris.
• Polanyi, K. (1944), The great transformation, Beacon Press, Boston.
• Portes, A. (1994), By-passing the rules: The dialectics of labour standards and informalization in less developed countries, in: Sengenberger W., Campbell, D. (eds.), International Labour Standards and Economic Interdependence, International Institute for Labour Studies, Geneva.
• Rees, J. (1919), In defence of October, International Socialism, 52, Autumn, London.
• Sen, A. (2000), Work and rights, “International Labour Review”, 193(2), Geneva.
• Sengenberger, W. (2006), International labour standards in the globalized economy: obstacles and opportunities for achieving social progress, in: Craig, J.D.R., Lynk, S.M. (eds.), Globalization and the Future of Labour Law, University Press, Cambridge.
• Sengenberger, W., Campbell, D., eds. (1994), International Labour Standards and Economic Interdependence. Essays in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the ILO and the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Philadelphia, International Institute for Labour Studies, Geneva.
• Stiglitz, J. (2009), The global crisis, social protection and jobs, “International Labour Review”, 193(2), Geneva.
• Tapiola, K. (2019), The driving force: Birth and evolution of tripartism – Role of the ILO workers’ group, ILO, Geneva.