Indian Labour Conference (ILC)
Ministry of Labour and Employment
Context:
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene the Indian Labour Conference (ILC).
- The most recent session of ILC was held in 2015, at the earliest.
About Indian Labour Conference
- The Indian Labour Conference (ILC) is the apex level tripartite consultative committee in the Ministry of Labour & Employment to advise the Government on the issues concerning working class of the country.
- Members: All the 12 Central Trade Union Organisations, Central Organisations of employers, all State Governments and Union Territories and Central Ministries/Departments concerned with the agenda items, are the members of the ILC.
- The first meeting of the Indian Labour Conference) was held in 1942 and so far a total of 46 Sessions have been held.
- 46th Session of Indian Labour Conference was held in July, 2015 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
- The agenda of the ILC is finalised by the Standing Labour Committee which is again a tripartite body after detailed discussions.
- The ILC was held every year or after two years in exceptional circumstances.
- It was only during the Emergency that the ILC was not held.
- The ILC was required to uphold the noble tradition of tripartism in the country and that India being a founding member of the International Labour Organisation had traditionally upheld the high ideals of tripartism.
- India also has a legal obligation to do so since the Indian Parliament has ratified Convention No. 144 of the ILO related to strengthening tripartite mechanism.
Significance of ILC:
Indian Labour Conference discusses and deliberates on significant issues aimed at improving the welfare of the workers. Notable contributions have been emanated by this forum including the Minimum wage fixing methodology and standing orders for employment.
Function:
To advise the Government on the issues concerning the working class of the country.
Some Government Initiatives for the Working Class:
- New Labour Codes, 2020
- Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan
- National Pension Scheme for Traders, Shopkeepers and Self-Employed Persons
- Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (Indian Workers’ Union) is one of the trade union organizations in India. It was founded by Dattopant Thengadi in 1955. According to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, the BMS had a membership of 6,215,797 in 2002. The BMS is not affiliated to any International Trade Union Confederation. It is the labour wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and forms part of the Sangh Parivar. International Labour Organisation It is the only tripartite United Nation (UN) agency. It brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member States (India is a member), to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men. Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969. Established in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League of Nations. Became the first affiliated specialized agency of the UN in 1946. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Convention No 144 of the ILO Convention 144 of the year 1976 which is also known as the Convention on Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards), promotes application of an essential principle on which the International Labour Organization (ILO) was founded which is: Tripartite social dialogue in the development and implementation of international labour standards. Tripartism in respect to international labour standards promotes a national culture of social dialogue on wider social and economic issues. |