Since its foundation in 1919, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has been working to bring lasting improvements to living conditions for working people. The organisation grew out of the recognition that "universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice". The ILO's aim, therefore, is to establish globally recognised social standards. In this way, countries are also to be prevented from gaining an advantage in international trade by flouting workers' rights or allowing poor working conditions.
The ILO has adopted eight core conventions:
- Convention 29: Forced Labour Convention (1930)
- Convention 87: Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (1948)
- Convention 98: Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (1949)
- Convention 100: Equal Remuneration Convention (1951)
- Convention 105: Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (1957)
- Convention 111: Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention (1958)
- Convention 138: Minimum Age Convention (1973)
- Convention 182: Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999)
The ILO Conventions are only legally binding if they have been ratified by the member states. The ILO therefore decided in 1998 on a declaration in which all member states pledge to respect, promote and realise core labour standards.
The declaration is based on the ILO's core conventions and defines the following minimum social standards as core labour standards:
- freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
- the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour;
- the effective abolition of child labour; and
- the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.