HR Policy Global

S01E11 - The United Nations, the ILO and the OECD (Part 1)



Welcome to the Wild Side, a podcast that discusses the world of modern employee relations ten minutes at a time. This is the first of three podcasts dealing with the international framework for employee relations. In this episode, host Alan Wild discusses the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), international trade unions, and international framework agreements. Alan is the Global Affairs Director of the HR Policy Association, the leading voice in chief human resources offices today.

Most National Labor Codes cover similar issues in similar ways. It is because they are based on the conventions set by the International Labor Organization. The ILO is a tripartite body composed of representatives of employers' organizations, trade unions, and governments. They do a huge amount of work in the areas of child labor, forced labor, social security, and small business development, particularly in emerging economies. The ILO was designed to give workers of the world's market economies a voice. In contrast, employers can find their voice in the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Economic Forum, and to an extent the OECD.

Key Takeaways: 

  • The International Labor Organization was designed to give workers of the world's market economies a voice. [1:06]
  • The ILO has 190 conventions in its International Labor Code. [2:45] 
  • The 8 fundamental conventions of the ILO. [4:26]
  • In 1998, the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights of Work was applied globally. [5:59]
  • In 2003, the United Nations created the Voluntary Global Compact Initiative. [7:41]
  • In 2011, the Human Rights Council adopted Ruggie’s Protect, Respect, and Remedy Framework. [8:31]
  • The European Union’s directives are equivalent to the ILO’s conventions but are mandatory for member states. [10:33]
  • Additional guidelines for multinational companies came from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). [12:08]