International Labour conference underway

The 112th Session of the International Labour conference (ILC) is currently underway in Geneva, Switzerland, with an official opening today to Friday, June 14, 2024.

Events would be held at two places, the Palais de Nation and the ILO headquarters.  The ILC is the highest decision-making body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and is held annually in June to advance the core mandate of the ILO.

The Conference brings together all tripartite delegations from the ILO’s 187 member states and a number of observers to engage on the world of work. The conference includes plenary sessions and technical committee meetings.

Harzards

This year, 2024, the conference focuses on protection against biological hazards, the strategic objective of fundamental principles and the rights at work, general discussions on decent work and the care economy, and the abrogation of four international labour conventions.

As part of the conference, there would be a discussion on the report of the Chairman of the Governing Board from June 2023 to March 2024; as well as the Director General’s report themed,  “Towards a Renewed Social Contract”.

At the plenary, appointments of the president of the 112th session, chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the various committees, as well as special sittings on the world of work summit and the World Day Against Child Labour, would be made. 

Committees

Standing committees for the conference are the Finance Committee and Committee on the Application of Standards. The committee on the Application of Standards would address member states compliance to international standards, review individual cases related to measures taken by member states to give effect to conventions to which they are parties.

The technical committees include standard setting committee on biological hazards, as well as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). There would be discussions also on fundamental principles and human rights at work, social justice for fair globalisation, social protection, social dialogue, etc.

The general discussion committee will touch on decent work and the care economy.  The last committee is the deneral affairs committee and it will deliberate on the abrogation of four conventions.

They are the Underground Work (women) convention, 1935 (No 45); the Safety Provisions (Building convention, 1937(No. 62); the convention concerning statistics of wages, and hours of work, 1938(No. 63); and the Labour Inspectorates (Non-Metropolitan Territories Convention, 1947 (No. 85).

Finally, these committee meetings will be followed by the 112th Session to elect members of the Governing board for 2024-27, whose terms of office take effect from June 15, 2024.

Subsequently, the conference will adopt the reports and outcomes of all the committees and the 112th Session will officially close on Friday, June14, 2024 with an address by the President, Vice-President of the conference, as well as by the Director General of the ILO.

Ghana’s delegation will be led by the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations and Pensions, Ignatius Baffour Awuah and accompanied by representatives from the social partners, Employers Organisation and Organised labour. 

The writer is Head of Public Affairs, 
MELR & staff of ISD