The International Labor Organization: Past and Present

Abstract

To celebrate its ninetieth anniversary in 2009, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has started preparation of a book on the organization's history. The project's coordinators hope to reach a wide audience by involving both ILO staff and scholars. The initiative is welcome by everyone interested in the history of the oldest international organization of the twentieth century, created with the primary objective of developing ideas and policies on social and economic issues for the improvement of labor conditions. Parallel to this in-house initiative, various scholars thought it appropriate to make a pure academic assessment of the ILO's origins, achievements, failures, present objectives, and future potential, as well as of the utility of its unique tripartite structure; that is, official representation from national governments, business, and labor.

Work and Neoliberal Globalization: A Polanyian Synthesis

“…Finally, the International Labor Organization continues to be a prominent advocate for workers’ rights and a source of protective standards to cover laborers, including policies protecting collective bargaining, standards against forced and child labor, equal opportunity statutes, and governance of wages, working time, and occupational health and safety (International Labor Office 2009; Reinecke 2006). Though these policies are often intended to remedy labor issues in the developing world, they also apply to developed countries that have ratified them, even if the lack of formal avenues for punishment often leads to decoupling between stated policy and its implementation (Garcia 2008; Sengenberger 2004).…”