General survey concerning the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144) and the Tripartite Consultation (Activities of the International Labour Organisation) Recommendation, 1976 (No. 152)

International Labour Conference, Report III (Part 1B). 88th session (2000)

Meeting document | 20 February 2000

The focus of the 2000 General Survey relates specifically to the requirements for consultation with regard to international labour standards or other aspects of the ILO’s activities covered by Recommendation No. 152. This is the second General Survey on the 1976 instruments on tripartite consultation; the first one was presented to the International Labour Conference in June 1982.

Since its inception, the essential role of the ILO has been the pursuit of cooperation between governments, employers and workers in furtherance of social justice by regulation of labour matters at the international level, with a view to the establishment of universal and lasting peace.

The sound functioning of tripartite cooperation in relation to international labour standards presupposes that it is supported by analogous dialogue at the national level.

Convention No. 144 goes much further than the obligation to communicate information laid down in article 23, paragraph 2, of the ILO Constitution, since it commits ratifying States to hold tripartite consultations on each of the measures to be taken at the national level in regard to international labour standards.

The 2000 General Survey provides the definitions of the basic concepts contained in the Convention and Recommendation and examines methods of applying the instruments. It also provides information on the procedures that have been put in place to carry out the required consultations, the various subjects of consultation, and the forms such consultation take in practice.