Indian Labour Conference

• 20 Jul 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (labour union) wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to convene the Indian Labour Conference (ILC).

• It argued that since Indian Parliament has ratified Convention No 144 of the International Labour Organisation, it is now India’s legal obligation to hold the ILC in order to strengthen the tripartite mechanism.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • ILC also known as the ‘labour parliament’ of the country formed on the lines of International Labour Conference is the apex level tripartite (Government, Employers and Workers) consultative committee in the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
    
    • International Labour Conference also known as International Parliament of Labour is a conference organized by ILO every year.
    • Each member State is represented by a delegation consisting of two government delegates, an employer delegate, a worker delegate, and their respective advisers.
  • The first meeting of the ILC (then called Tripartite National Labour Conference) was held in 1942 and so far a total of 46 Sessions have been held.
    
    • The most recent session of which was held in 2015.
  • The agenda of the ILC is finalised by the Standing Labour Committee which is again a tripartite body after detailed discussions.
• Function:
  
  • To advise the Government on the issues concerning the working class of the country.
• Members:
  
  • Central Trade Union Organisations, Central Organisations of employers, all State Governments and Union Territories and Central Ministries/Departments concerned with the agenda items, are the members of the ILC.
• Some Government Initiatives for the Working Class:
  
  • New Labour Codes, 2020
  • Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan
  • National Pension Scheme for Traders, Shopkeepers and Self-Employed Persons
  • Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana

International Labour Organisation

• It is the only tripartite United Nation (UN) agency. It brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member States (India is a member), to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
  
  • Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969.
• Established in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League of Nations.
• Became the first affiliated specialized agency of the UN in 1946.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

Convention No 144 of the ILO

• Convention 144 of the year 1976 which is also known as the Convention on Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards), promotes application of an essential principle on which the International Labour Organization (ILO) was founded which is:
  
  • Tripartite social dialogue in the development and implementation of international labour standards.
• Tripartism in respect to international labour standards promotes a national culture of social dialogue on wider social and economic issues.

Source: TH