1. ILO Social Justice and Tripartism:
Programme for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV)
International Training Center of ILO

2. Objectives of this Session
We will try to understand:
Fundamental Goal and Principle of ILO
Structure (Major Components) of ILO
Major Functions of ILO
Roles of ACTRAV (Bureau for Workers’ Activities)

3. Fundamental Goal and Principle of ILO

4. Fundamental Goal of ILO
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Better Working Conditions
PREAMBLE
“Universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice”
Standard Setting
Technical Co-operation
Tripartite
System
Meetings - Information - Research - Expertise

5. Tripartism: Fundamental Principle
“Tripartism” is :
The active interactions among the government, workers and employers as representative, equal and independent social partners.
Representative, Equal and Independent Partners: Why?
- Representative: a recognised voice of those who have entrusted them;
- Equal: to discuss solutions on equal terms. Otherwise, the solutions will not benefit all and not be respected by all; and
- Independent: the whole exercise would be futile if one side manipulates two passive participants.
What are “Common Concerns”?
- Tripartism enables the parties concerned to have a say in decisions that concern them - an imperative of democracy
- Tripartism is a strategy for effectiveness in pursuing a balance between economic and social concerns, between immediate and long term interests, and between individual needs and collective benefits.
- Tripartism is a guarantee of accountability by allowing each partner to limit and control the other two, securing an equitable distribution of costs and benefits
To seek mutually agreeable solutions for issues of common concerns.

6. ILO Tripartism in Shape Governments Workers Employers
- Tripartism is ensured in all the ILO decision making bodies and process
- However, the level of representation (voting rights) varies in different bodies
> Conference - Each member state : Government 2 – Workers 1 – Employers 1
> Governing Body – Government 28, Workers 14, Employers 14
> Conference Committee – Equal voting right

7. Tripartism: How it works?
Active Interaction in order to seek joint solutions
Partners must be willing to reach, and respect, agreements
Partners must be committed, competent and active
Tripartism : for Success
- The success of tripartism depends much on the extent to which workers and their organizations (as well as employers and their organizations) actively participate in the ILO’s standard setting and other works, and actively make use of the rights given to them, with a view to promoting a more effective and widespread application of ILO standards.

8. Tripartism: Strength of ILO
ILO is the only UN agency which has
the “tripartite system” imbedded in its root.
The “Tripartite System” enables:
the representatives of workers and employers to participate on an equal footing with those of governments in all discussions and the process of decision-makings.
Tripartism : Benefits for Workers
- Worker members (workers’ representative) in the Governing Body take part in determining the agenda of the International Labour Conference;
- Workers’ delegates to the Conference take part in the framing and adoption of international labour standards;
- Workers’ organizations have an important role to play both at the national and at the international level in monitoring the effective application of ratified Conventions; and
- Special complaints procedures are available to the workers where trade union rights are being violated or the terms of a ratified Convention are not being observed.

9. 2. Structure of ILO

10. Major Components of ILO Structure
International Labour Conference
Governing Body
International Labour Office

11. International Labour Conference (1)
- Meet every year in Geneva in June;
- Each member State is represented by two G delegates, one E delegate and one W delegate, plus advisers.
Main Tasks:
Work out (in Committee) and adopt (in Plenary) international labour standards, and supervise their application;
Elect Governing Body, and decide to admit a new Member
Freely discuss social and labour questions of importance to the entire world;
Pass resolutions which provide guidelines for the ILO's general policy and future activities.
Adopt every two years the ILO's biennial work programme and budget
ICFTU, WCL, WFTU and OATUU have full consultative status with the ILO.

12. International Labour Conference (2)
Conference Committees
1. Selection Committee (28G, 14E, 14W)
2. Credentials Committee (G, E, W)
3. Conference Drafting Committee
4. Committee on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations
5. Finance Committee of Government Representatives
6. Other committees - such as a committee to discuss a new standard

13. Governing Body of ILO (1)
The executive body of the ILO
Meets three times a year (in March, June and November);
Takes decisions on ILO policy;
Decides the agenda of the Conference;
Adopts the draft Programme and Budget of the Organization; and
Elects the Director-General.
Composition
56 titular (28 G, 14 E and 14 W) and 66 deputy (28 G, 19 E and 19 W).
Ten of the titular government seats are permanently held by States of chief industrial importance (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States).
The Employer and Worker members are elected in their individual capacity.
GB Election is held every three years (2002 is the election year!)

14. Governing Body of ILO (2)
The Governing Body has the following committees:
Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA)
Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee (PFA)
Committee on Legal Issues and International Labour Standards (LILS)
Working Party on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards (WP/PRS)
Subcommittee on Multinational Enterprises (MNE)
Committee on Employment and Social Policy (ESP)
Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues (STM)
Committee on Technical Cooperation (TC)
Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization (WP/SDG)

15. International Labour Office (1)
The permanent secretariat of the ILO, located in Geneva.
Focal point for the overall activities that it prepares under the scrutiny of the Governing Body and under the leadership of a Director-General
Some 1,900 officials of over 110 nationalities at the headquarters and in 40 field offices around the world.
Some 600 experts undertaking missions in all regions of the world under the programme of technical cooperation.
A research and documentation centre and a printing house

16. International Labour Office (2)
The Regional Office (RO)
Sub-Regional Office (SRO)
The Area Office (AO)
International Training Center of ILO

17. Major Functions of ILO

18. Standard Setting International Labour Standards (ILS)
Conventions
Recommendations
Adoption by the Conference
Application at national level
(through legislation and practice)

19. ILS : Classification Basic human rights Conditions of work Employment
Social security
Social policy
Women
Labor administration
Industrial relations
Children and young persons
Protection of special groups

20. ILS : Core Labour Standards
Standards concerning fundamental human/social rights
Freedom of Association
Freedom from Discrimination
Freedom of Association, 1948
Right to Collective Bargaining, 1949
C. 87
C. 98
Equal Remuneration, 1951
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation), 1958
C. 100
C. 111
Freedom from Forced Labour
Minimum Age for Employment
Forced Labour, 1930
Abolition of Forced Labour, 1957
C. 29
C. 105
Minimum Age, 1973
Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999
C. 138
C. 182

21. Technical Cooperation
Dispatch specialists to Member States to advise on technical matters
Provisions of facilities for training to further the aims of full employment, the raising of standards of living, and greater job satisfaction.
Vocational training facilities

22. 4. Roles of ACTRAV

23. ILO Tripartism: Summary Active Partnership
ACTEMP
ACTRAV
Active Partnership Policy
- Aims to strengthen the links between the ILO and its constituents in the design, implementation and follow-up of its action programme.
- Means “proximity”, or how close office can be, to government, employers’ and workers’ representatives on a day-to-day basis
(For?)
- To improve the quality of its services to Constituencies by:
Building up links of mutual confidence and allows better understanding of the social problems of the countries concerned; and
Improving knowledge-base and understanding of the priorities of each country, which allows the ILO to meet member States’ needs more effectively.
Achievement of “Social Justice” through establishment and maintenance of “Active Partnership” among the Governments, Workers’ and Employers’ Organizations.

24. Tripartism: Role of ACTRAV
For the spirits and purposes of the Tripartism, trade unions must be “representative, competent and responsible”, which give real effect to the system and methodology.
ACTRAV supports the establishment and strengthening of “free, independent, democratic and representative trade unions” in all countries in the world.
Why do we have to have well-established trade unions?
- Trade unions are “the building blocks of democracy”;
- Trade unions are “training schools for democracy”; and
- Trade unions are “the crucial partners in tripartism”.
What do we have to do?
- “Capacity Building” : Strengthening trade unions’ ability to train members and to build strong organizations;
- “Policy Development” : Helping the unions to deal with new issues

25. What does ACTRAV do?
Supports trade unions to be formed and to develop as truly representative social partners;
Disseminate policies and programmes of the ILO and its technical units to trade unions;
Reflect interests of trade unions in programmes and actions of the ILO;
Support workers’ representatives in ILO’s decision making bodies; and
Educate and train trade union leaders/ activists/staff.
Why do we have to have well-established trade unions?
- Trade unions are “the building blocks of democracy”;
- Trade unions are “training schools for democracy”; and
- Trade unions are “the crucial partners in tripartism”.
What do we have to do?
- “Capacity Building” : Strengthening trade unions’ ability to train members and to build strong organizations;
- “Policy Development” : Helping the unions to deal with new issues

26. Tripartism: Structure of ACTRAV
Bureau for Workers’ Activities
(ILO/ACTRAV-Geneva)
Asia/Pacific Desk: K. Takagi
Overall policy/strategy making
Liaison with other unit
Support for Workers’ Group
Reflection of workers’ interests
Why do we have to have well-established trade unions?
- Trade unions are “the building blocks of democracy”;
- Trade unions are “training schools for democracy”; and
- Trade unions are “the crucial partners in tripartism”.
What do we have to do?
- “Capacity Building” : Strengthening trade unions’ ability to train members and to build strong organizations;
- “Policy Development” : Helping the unions to deal with new issues
ILO/ACTRAV-Turin
(International Training Center of the ILO)
Asia/Pacific: H. Ishibashi
Field Specialists
(RO, SRO and AO)
Bangkok: R. Raghwan
New Delhi: P.S. Ahn
Manila: D.P.A. Naidu
Direct contact with unions
Implementation of ACTRAV policies and strategies in each country
Dissemination of information
Implementation of training programmes

27. ACTRAV-Team For Asia/Pacific
ILO HQ / ACTRAV
= Kimi Takagi – Desk for Asia/Pacific
ILO Sub-Regional Office in Bangkok (for East Asia)
= R. Raghwan – Senior Specialist for Workers’ Activities
ILO Sub-Regional Office in New Delhi (for South & Central Asia)
= Ahn Pong-Sul – Senior Specialist for Workers’ Activities
ILO Sub-Regional Office in Manila (for South East Asia & Pacific)
= D.P.A. Naidu – Senior Specialist for Workers’ Activities
ITC-ILO (Turin Center)
= Hiro Ishibashi – Programme Officer for Asia/Pacific

28. ACTRAV-Turin Team Enrico Cairola - Programme Manager
Marc Belanger - IT Specialist
Ben I. Dia - Africa and Arab States
Carmen Benitez - Americas and Gender
Hiro Ishibashi - Asia and the Pacific
Freek Thomasson – Europe

29. 5. Issues for Discussion

30. Current Issues Concerning ILO
Low and declining union density → Question of Representativeness
“Organized full-time male workers” Model
“Most competent workers’ organizations” provision
Widening North-South gap → Question of Universality
Lack of representations of developing countries in many of ILO structures and activities
Euro-centrism

31. Summary of this Session
Fundamental Goal and Principle of ILO
“Achievement of Social Justice through Tripartism”
Structure of ILO
International Labour Conference, Governing Body and International Labour Office
Major Functions of ILO
Standard Setting and Technical Cooperation.
Roles of ACTRAV
Empowerment of workers’ organizations

32. Thank you for your attention!
Programme for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV)
ITC-ILO