| | | Meena Durairaj |

[ International Labor Standards] | |

Summary
This paper focuses on the International Labour Organization (ILO) responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour standards.
History of international labour standards
The International Labour Organization (ILO) was founded in 1919 as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I. the ILO was created as a branch of the League of Nations order to address all conceivable aspects of labour rights. Preliminary efforts focused primarily on the eradication of slavery and all forms of forced labour. The Constitution was drafted between January and April, 1919, by the Labour Commission set up by the Peace Conference, which first met in Paris and then in Versailles.
Since 1919, the International Labour Organization has maintained and developed a system of international labour standards aimed at promoting opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity. In today's globalized economy, international labour standards are essential components in the international framework for ensuring that the growth of the global economy provides benefits to all.
Are labour standards feasible?
Globalization has created opportunities and benefits for many around the world. However, workers and employers still face challenges. Inequality, poor work place policies and cultural differences are part of those challenges. Also, the continued development of global economy created income gap between the rich and the poor. In this calamity establishing some basic rules to ensure that the globalization offers a fair chance at prosperity for everyone.
Today, the ILO has developed a comprehensive Decent Work Agenda which takes up many of the same challenges that the organization faced at its inception. The Decent Work Agenda aims to achieve decent work for all by promoting social dialogue, social protection and employment creation, as well as respect for international labour standards. The standards have grown into a comprehensive system of instruments on work and social policy, backed by a supervisory system designed to address all sorts of problems in their application at the national level. They are the legal component in the ILO's strategy for governing globalization, promoting sustainable development, eradicating poverty, and ensuring that people can work in dignity and safety.
Advantages and Disadvantages of standards
Advantages:
* A path to decent work
International labour standards are first and foremost about the development of people as human beings. Standards are to ensure improving human life and dignity. * An international legal framework for fair and stable globalization
ILO creates legal framework to elaborate and promote international labour standards that makes sure the economic growth and development creates decent work environment. * A level playing field
ILO’s legal framework helps governments and employers to avoid the temptation of lowering labour standards in the belief that this could give them a greater comparative advantage in international trade. * A means of improving economic performance
Compliance with international labour standards often accompanies improvements in productivity and economic performance * A safety net in times of economic crisis
Based on ILO’s study after the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the organization helps to strengthen social dialogue, freedom of association, and social protection systems in the region would provide better safeguards against such economic downturns. * A strategy for reducing poverty
International labour standards call for the creation of institutions and mechanisms which can enforce labour rights. In combination with a set of defined rights and rules, functioning legal institutions can help formalize the economy and create a climate of trust and order which is essential for economic growth and development. * The sum of international experience and knowledge
International labour standards are the result of discussions among governments, employers and workers, in consultation with experts from around the world. They represent the international consensus on how a particular labour problem could be tackled at the global level and reflect knowledge and experience from all corners of the world.

Disadvantages: * Governments can discount IL standards to gain advantage in investments and exports * ILO doesn’t have authority over a country’s forced labor, sexual discrimination, or granting workers the right to bargain collectively. * When ratifying ILO standards, it increases the labor costs. Thus, it paves path to outsourcing to cheaper labor * Inadequacy of enforcement of laws in developing countries challenges ILO to monitor labor rights
Conclusion
International Labour Organization has successfully implemented its tripartite structure, unique legal framework in many countries. International labour standards have grown into a comprehensive system of instruments on work and social policy, backed by a supervisory system designed to address all sorts of problems in their application at the national level. Though there are advantages and disadvantages in implementing the framework across the globe, ILO continues to act as an advocate to improve integrity of human lives in work place.

Resources: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/research/econ_global.shtml http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/lang--en/index.htm