Social dialogue:

all partnersfor decentwork Social

DialogueSector

For the International LabourOrganization, social dialogueincludes all types of negotiation,consultation or simply exchangeof information between, oramong, representatives of gov-ernments, employers and work-ers on issues of common inter-est relating to economic andsocial policy.

Social dialogue is thus the mostsuitable tool for promoting betterliving and working conditionsand greater social justice.

It is an instrument through whichgovernance can be enhanced inmany fields. It is relevant to anyeffort aiming to achieve moreproductive and effective enter-prises and sectors and a fairerand more efficient economy. Itthus contributes to a more stableand more equitable society. Italso has particular relevance tothe globalization process.

The explicit political will of all ofthe parties concerned to engagein social dialogue.

Strong, independent workers'and employers' organizationswith the appropriate technicalcapacities and access to theinformation that enables them toparticipate in social dialogue.

Respect for the fundamentalrights of freedom of associationand collective bargaining (as setforth in ILO Conventions 87 and98).

Appropriate institutional support.

Mutual recognition and respectamongst all social partnerrepresentatives.

What issocial dialogue?

What are the basicprerequisites forsocial dialogue?

The institutions of socialdialogue are often defined bytheir composition; they can bebipartite or tripartite. The tripar-tite actors are governmentrepresentatives and employers’and workers’ organizations.

Social dialogue can have variousaspects. It can be a tripartiteprocess, in which case thegovernment is an official party tothe dialogue. It can also consistof bipartite relations betweenemployers and workers’ repre-sentatives or between tradeunions and employers’ organiza-tions, in which the governmentis involved either directly or indi-rectly.This dialogue can be infor-mal or institutionalized, or acombination of both. It can beheld at the national, regional orlocal level. It can also take placeat the inter-sectoral, sectoral orenterprise level.

What arethe different formsof social dialogue?

Information-sharing

This is one of the most funda-mental and essential factorsfor any effective social dialogue.Although it does not itselfinvolve actually debating issuesor taking action, it is neverthe-less an essential part of theprocess through which dialoguecan be established and decisionscan be taken.

Consultation

The parties engage in anexchange of views, which canlead to more in-depth dialogue.Some bipartite or tripartiteorgans have an advisory role,whereas others act more as bod-ies which provide information.

Negotiation

Collective bargaining is one ofthe most widespread forms ofsocial dialogue. The parties canengage in either bipartite or tri-partite bargaining with a view toconcluding agreements or collec-tive labour agreements, and thenegotiations can be held at thecompany level or at the sectoral,decentralized, regional, nationalor even multinational level.

Social dialogue is rooted essen-tially in freedom of associationand the right to collective bar-gaining and must take accountof the social, cultural, historical,economic and political contextin each country.There is no “all-purpose” model of socialdialogue that can be readilytransposed from one countryto another. There are distinctdifferences in social dialoguedepending on the country,although the fundamentalprinciples of freedom of associa-tion and the right to collectivebargaining of course remain thesame. It is essential to adaptsocial dialogue to the situation ineach particular country in orderto ensure that the local partnersare really included in theprocess. Institutional arrange-ments and legal frameworks aswell as traditions and practicespertaining to social dialogue varywidely throughout the world.

The activitiesmost frequentlyinvolved insocial dialogue:

Does social dialoguediffer from one countryto another?

The ILO’s commitment to theconcept of participation issummarized as follows in theDeclaration of Philadelphia:“The war against want requiresto be carried on with unrelentingvigour within each nation, andby continuous and concertedinternational effort in which therepresentatives of workers andemployers, enjoying equal statuswith those of governments, joinwith them in free discussion anddemocratic decision with a viewto the promotion of the commonwelfare.”

Tripartism and participation arementioned in several internation-al labour standards (nos. 135,144, 151 and 154) and resolu-tions of the International LabourConference with regard to theactivities carried out by the ILOin the technical cooperationcontext.

These instruments not onlyprovide for tripartism in technicalcooperation projects and pro-

grammes as an objective in itsown right but also advocate thatit be employed as a manage-ment tool. They also make pro-vision for the participation of thepopulation groups concerned inthe elaboration and implementa-tion of measures for socialprogress.

Social dialogue is an integralpart of the Decent Work Agenda.It is also a means of achievingthe objectives of that Agenda.The Resolution concerning tri-partism and social dialogue,which the International LabourConference adopted at its ses-sion in 2002, developed this ideafurther, recognizing that socialdialogue plays an essential rolein the promotion of fundamentalprinciples and rights at work, theachievement of employmentobjectives and the improvementof social protection.

What is the roleof the ILO insocial dialogue andtripartism?

Workers

Workers and their organizationsplay a crucial role in social dia-logue. Along with employers andgovernments, workers put tripar-tism and social dialogue, theconstitutional principles of theILO, into action. Certain funda-mental conditions must be pres-ent, however, if these principlesare to be implemented, namelyfreedom of association and theright to collective bargaining.Social dialogue is a valuabletool, which is designed to protectand promote workers’ interestsby introducing the principles ofdemocracy and human dignity atthe workplace. It is furthermorean instrument which has provedits worth in the management ofsocial and economic change andwhich preserves both consensusand stability within society.Social dialogue, including collec-tive bargaining, enables workersand their organizations toimprove wages and workingconditions. In many instances

they have extended the scope ofcollective bargaining to includeworker protection issues such ashealth and safety at work, socialsecurity systems, education andtraining for workers, and workerparticipation in enterprise man-agement.

Whatever the level , local,decentralized, national, regionalor international , trade unionorganizations are effectiveintermediaries, through whichworkers can take part in socialdialogue.

These organizations are thusregarded as key instruments forimproving workers’ quality of lifeand promoting the fair andsustainable development ofsociety as a whole.

Employers

Employers’ organizationsactively contribute to helpingcountries to create the necessaryconditions for achieving theirobjectives regarding employ-ment and living standards, sincethey can convey corporate needsbetter than any other institutionor any of their affiliates. Theyhelp to strengthen the goodresults which enterprises obtainby influencing the environment

What role dothe social partners playin strengtheningsocial dialogue?

in which they operate andproviding services through whichthey can enhance their perform-ance. They also improve corpo-rate operational effectiveness byproviding firms with information,advice and training tools. As offi-cial partners in tripartism andsocial dialogue, employers’organizations play an essentialrole in strengthening employer-employee relations and buildingbetter understanding, the princi-ples underpinning the DecentWork Agenda.

Governments

Labour administrations have twomajor roles to play in socialdialogue, whether tripartite orbipartite, namely:

A promotional role

According to international labourstandards, the labour administra-tion is responsible for promotingconsultation with the socialpartners and taking any appro-priate measures to ensure thatconsultations and negotiationstake place in due form.

An active role

Labour administration providesinstruments for encouragingdialogue between the socialpartners. It can play other rolesincluding that of the principalemployer in the public sector.Labour administration can also

take part in dialogue as a partnerin its own right with a view toencouraging an exchange ofviews, further developing discus-sions and seeking support for itsown implementation policies.Social dialogue covers a widevariety of fields involving theactivities of labour administra-tion at the national level, includ-ing that of: securing social peaceand regarding it as a precondi-tion for accelerating productivityin the world of work and a factorof economic and social develop-ment. Labour administrationsshould endeavour to create con-sultation bodies at the nationallevel attached to ministerialstructures and establish perma-nent secretariats with a viewto ensuring that those bodiesoperate effectively and efficientlyand that the services they pro-vide are useful and sustainable.

Who deals withsocial dialogue issuesin the ILO?

By attending to a wide range ofproblems relating to work andbeing present in the most rele-vant discussions on the concernsof workers and employers.

The importance of socialdialogue is being increasinglyrecognized at a time when theinternational community is seek-ing appropriate solutions to theproblems and opportunitiescreated by globalization. Giventhe ILO’s established experienceand competence in the area oftripartism and social dialogue,the Organization is well-placedto play a leading role in the pro-motion of dialogue, partnershipsand participatory approaches inthe policy-making process.

It assists its constituents by:

promoting international stan-dards concerning social dia-logue;

promoting gender equality ineach of its programmes andactivities;

elaborating social dialogueindicators as part of the overallindicators of decent work;

helping to modernize nationallabour legislation and bystrengthening labour adminis-trations;

organizing bipartite and tripartitemeetings in many technical andsectoral fields.

How doesthe ILO encourageits constituents tostrengthen socialdialogue?

The Social DialogueSector – “Strengtheningtripartism and socialdialogue…”

1.

Bureau for Employers’Activities (ACT/EMP)

The mandate of this Bureau isto maintain close contact withemployers’ organizations in ILOmember States and to assistthem in the context of theirrelations with the Organization.A further task is to keep the ILOconstantly aware of the views,concerns and priorities ofemployers’ organizations. TheBureau also promotes interna-tional cooperation amongstemployers’ organizations andis in charge of a global technicalcooperation programme aimingto build the representativecapacity of independent employ-ers’ organizations offeringservices for developing businesscompetitiveness.

2.

Bureau for Workers’Activities (ACTRAV)

The mandate of the Bureaufor Workers’ Activities is:to strengthen representative,independent and democratictrade union organizations in allcountries so that they are in aposition to defend workers’rights and interests to bestadvantage, to provide efficientservices for their members atboth the national and the inter-national level, and to promotethe ratification and implementa-tion of ILO Conventions.

3.

DIALOGUE/SECTORDepartment

a) Social Dialogue, Labour Lawand Labour AdministrationBranch (DIALOGUE)

This Branch aims to promote theadvantages of social dialogue inaddressing economic and socialissues. It does so by strengthen-ing institutions which work forsocial dialogue and supportingthe role of governments and thesocial partners in constructingthat dialogue. For that purpose,it advises ILO constituents onbargaining, mediation and dia-logue machinery and processesand provides supporting tools.The Branch also helps ILOconstituents to revise nationallegislation in accordance with

international labour standardsand works with labour adminis-trations to develop policy-making, implementation andenforcement capacity in relationto decent work policies andprogrammes.

b) Sectoral Activities Branch(SECTOR)

The sectoral approach is theILO's platform for addressing allaspects of work in the varioussectors of economic activity. Itprovides better insight into theworld of work, bringing togetherILO constituents at the interna-tional, regional and nationallevel. The added value of thisapproach lies in its synthesizingagenda, which targets all four ofthe ILO's strategic objectives andallows the Branch to achievesubstantial, tangible results in itswork in specific sectors. Socialdialogue at the sectoral level isstrengthened through a combi-nation of sectoral research,meetings, national activities,action programmes and stan-dards-related activities, as well

as a number of inter-sectoral activities. Sectoral socialdialogue provides the ILO'sconstituents with opportunitiesfor interaction on issues of con-cern in their respective sectors.At its 298th session in March2007, the ILO Governing Bodydecided to reorganize the 22sectors concerned into eightsector “groups”.

Where can I findinformation on socialdialogue in the ILO?

Social Dialogue SectorInternational Labour Office4, Route des MorillonsCH- 1211 GENEVE 22Tel.: +41 22 799 63 20Email: eddialogue@ilo.orgWebsite:http://www.ilo.org

Bureau for Employers’ ActivitiesTel.: +41 22 799 77 48Email: actemp@ilo.org

Bureau for Workers’ ActivitiesTel.: +41 22 799 70 21Email: actrav@ilo.org

DIALOGUE/SECTORDepartment:

a. Social Dialogue,Labour Law and LabourAdministration BranchTel.: +41 22 799 76 86Email: dialogue@ilo.org

b. Sectoral Activities BranchTel.: +41 22 799 75 01Email: sector@ilo.org