Once a year, the International Labour Organization (ILO) – a United Nations (UN) agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards – organizes the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva to set the broad policies of the ILO, including conventions and recommendations.

Also known as the “international parliament of labour”, the conference makes decisions about the ILO’s general policy, work programme and budget and also elects the Governing Body. Each member state is represented by a delegation composed of two government delegates, an employer delegate, a worker delegate. All of them have individual voting rights and all votes are equal, regardless of the population of the delegate’s member State. The employer and worker delegates are normally chosen in agreement with the most representative national organizations of employers and workers. Usually, the workers and employers’ delegates coordinate their voting. All delegates have the same rights and are not required to vote in blocs. Delegates can attend with advisers and substitute delegates, and all have the same rights: they can express themselves freely and vote as they wish. Heads of State and prime ministers also participate in the Conference. International organizations, both governmental and others, also attend but as observers. In June 2026, Government, Employer and Worker representatives from the 187 ILO Member States will gather at the International Labour Conference to discuss world of work issues such as decent work in the platform economy, a transformative agenda for gender equality at work and social dialogue and tripartism.

Links:
114th Session of the International Labour Conference