DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

Apurva Chandra to Chair of ILO Governing Body

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION (ILO), 1919

• It was 1 of the 1st organizations to deal with labour issues. ILO was established as an agency of League of Nations following the Treaty of Versailles (after WW1).
• It is the only tripartite U.N. agency. It brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes.
• HQ at Geneva.

- Structure of ILO

1. 1. International Labour Conference: It sets the International labour standards and the broad policies of the ILO.
   2. Governing body: It is the executive council of the ILO. It takes policy decisions of ILO.
   3. International Labour Office: it is the permanent secretariat of the ILO.

Functions of ILO:

• Solve labour issues, create policies, programmes, standards and recommendations; Human rights protection (Right to work, association etc); Research and Publication.
• ILO does not impose sanctions on Govt though it registers complaints against entities.
• India is the founding member since 1922. In India, the first ILO Office was started in 1928.

- India has ratified 6 out of 8 core ILO Conventions.

1. 1. Forced Labour Convention (No. 29)
   2. Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No.105)
   3. Equal Remuneration Convention (No.100)
   4. Discrimination (Employment Occupation) Convention (No.111)
   5. Minimum Age Convention (No.138)
   6. Worst forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182)

The Indian Labour Conference (ILC):

• ILC is the apex level tripartite consultative committee in the MoLE to advise the Govt.
• ILC recommendations to fix minimum wages
  1. 3 consumption units for one earner.
  2. Minimum food requirements of 2700 calories per average Indian adult.
  3. Clothing requirements of 72 yards per annum per family.
  4. Rent corresponding to the minimum area provided for under Government’s Industrial Housing Scheme.
  5. Fuel, Lighting and other miscellaneous items of expenditure to constitute 20% of the total minimum wage.

What is the news?

• Labour & Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra has been elected as the Chairperson of the Governing Body of the ILO for the period October 2020-June 2021.
• The Chairperson of the Governing Body of ILO is a position of international repute. The Governing Body (GB) is the apex executive body of the ILO.
• GB meets thrice a year, in March, June and November. It takes decisions on ILO policy, decides the agenda of the International Labour Conference, adopts the draft programme and budget of the organisation for submission to the conference, and elects the Director-General.
• The broad policies of the ILO are set by the International Labour Conference, which meets once a year in June, in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Chandra will be presiding over the upcoming Governing Body’s meeting, to be held in November 2020.
• It will provide a platform to apprise participants of the transformational initiative taken by the government in removing the rigidities of the labour market, besides making intention clear about the universalisation of social security to all workers in the organised or unorganised sector.
• The four codes on wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions are expected to improve ease of doing business and safeguard the interest of workers.