ILO Urges Workers to Shape Fair Agreements for Better Work Conditions

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is encouraging workers to actively participate in creating fair social contracts, as outlined in its recent 2023 publication, the International Journal of Labour Research. The ILO emphasizes the vital role of workers’ groups in shaping these agreements, promoting decent work and fairness.

The publication, titled “Achieving Social Justice in an Era of Accelerating Change: A New Social Contract,” calls for workers to join discussions at both global and local levels. It stresses the need for a social contract that supports decent work and justice, highlighting international labour standards.

Maria Andre, the Director of ACTRAV, emphasizes the importance of workers’ groups in advocating for a social contract that fits today’s workforce. She notes that while the idea of a new social contract isn’t new, recent changes like climate issues and technology advancements have sped up the need for better global unity.

The ILO publication explores how existing labour institutions can adapt to new realities. Maria Andre encourages workers’ groups, which are the world’s largest membership-based entities and essential parts of the ILO, to keep pushing for a social contract that matches today’s work environment.

The journal also stresses the importance of international labour standards in the new social contract. It suggests that workers’ groups play a crucial role in upholding these standards, promoting open communication, global unity, and creating good job opportunities for everyone. The goal is to tackle inequalities, making them a key part of economic and social progress, all while respecting the fundamental rights at work set by the ILO.