Tripartism

See also
• Employers' organizations
• Social Dialogue
• Workers' organizations

The ILO aims to ensure that it serves the needs of

working women and men by bringing together
governments, employers and workers to set labour
standards, develop policies and devise programmes.
Its tripartite structure makes the ILO unique among
world organizations because employers' and workers'
organizations have an equal voice with governments in
all its deliberations.

The ILO encourages tripartism within member States by

promoting social dialogue to help design and implement
national policies. Achieving fair terms of employment,
decent working conditions, and development for the
benefit of all cannot be achieved without the active
involvement of workers, employers and governments,
including a broad-based effort by all of them. To
encourage such an approach, one of the strategic
objectives of the ILO is to strengthen social dialogue
among the tripartite constituents. It helps governments,
employers' and workers' organizations to establish sound
 labour relations, adapt labour laws to meet changing
economic and social needs and improve labour
administration.

'The war against want requires to be carried on with

unrelenting vigor within each nation, and by continuous
and concerted international effort in which the
representatives of workers and employers, enjoying equal
status with those of governments, join with them in free
discussion and democratic decision with a view to the
promotion of the common welfare.'
Declaration Concerning the Aims and Purpose of the
International Labour Organization, Philadelphia, 1944.

What is social dialogue?

The ILO defines social dialogue as including all types of
negotiation, consultation and exchange of information
between, or among, representatives of governments,
employers and workers on issues of common interest.
How social dialogue actually operates varies from country
to country and from region to region. Effective social
dialogue depends on:

 Respect for the fundamental rights of freedom of

association and collective bargaining;
 Strong, independent workers' and employers'
organizations with the technical capacity and knowledge
required to participate in social dialogue;
 Political will and commitment to engage in social dialogue
on the part of all parties;
 Appropriate institutional support.
For social dialogue to work, the State cannot be passive
because it is responsible for creating the stable political
and civil climate required for employers' and workers'
organizations to operate without fear of reprisal.
Collective bargaining is the most widespread form of
social dialogue and is a useful indicator of the capacity
within a country to engage in national level tripartism.

Freedom of association: Essential for Social

Dialogue
Independent organizations for workers and employers
are the cornerstones of ILO's tripartite structure
and its efforts to promote freedom of association.
ILO's Committee on Freedom of Association, set up
in 1950, has examined over 2,000 cases of violation of
workers' and employers' freedom to organize
themselves. It has a mandate to handle complaints in
all ILO member States, including those that have not
ratified freedom of association conventions.

At times, the tripartite partners may open the dialogue

to other relevant actors in society to gain a wider
consensus. The forms of social dialogue vary according to
the need. It can be tripartite, with the government as an
official participant, or bipartite. It can be informal or
institutional, and is often a combination of the two. It
can take place at the national, regional or enterprise
level. It can be inter-professional, sectoral or a
combination of all of these.

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