Decent Work

What Is Decent Work?

Decent Work involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.

In other words Decent Work concept is about:

1. Equal access to employment without discrimination.
2. Living wage for workers to allow them and their families to live with dignity.
3. Social protection in case of illness, pregnancy or the normal ups and downs which most of us face in life.
4. Free from exploitation.
5. Freedom to organise themselves and to represent their interests collectively through trade unions

What is the Decent Work Check?

The Decent Work Check provides a summary of ILO Conventions and labour law. Decent Work Check gives you an overview of your work rights, what you can claim and what protection you are entitled to. The tool also helps you know how far your organisation complies with ILO conventions and the law.

What is ILO doing?

The ILO is the International Labour Organisation of the United Nations, since 1919. In the ILO negotiations are going on between governments of the member states, national trade unions and employers’ associations regarding work related issues, labour law and social security. These negotiations may take years, but eventually lead to so called Conventions.

In Conventions minimum standards are laid down. Conventions are not the law, but the intention is that member states subscribe to the standard in question. The proper way to do that is have these Conventions ratified by parliament and then make national laws. National law can be enforced.

Most ILO-Conventions are accompanied by recommendations on how to implement the standards. Countries can do more and better, but should not provide less protection than the Conventions prescribed.

Read more about ILO's International Labour Standards