List of International Labour Organization Conventions

The list of International Labour Organization Conventions contains 191 codifications of worldwide labour standards. International Labour Organization Conventions are developed through tripartite negotiations between member state representatives from trade unions, employers' organisations and governments, and adopted by the annual International Labour Conference. Member state governments subsequently ratify Conventions and incorporate their provisions into national legislation.
The first Convention was adopted in 1919 and covers hours of work, Convention, adopted in 2019, covers violence and harassment in the world of work. The Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, adopted by the member states in 1998, identified eight fundamental Conventions as binding on all members; four prohibit forced labour and child labour, and four provide rights to organize, to collectively bargain, to equal pay and to freedom from discrimination at work. There are also important Recommendations, which are widely adopted as standards, but do not have the same binding effect as Conventions, such as the Employment Relationship Recommendation, 2006 that ensures universal protection of workers for rights, and requires clear identification in national law for the employer, state or other party responsible for the right.
The ILO monitors the application of the Conventions and makes observations regarding member state compliance, however, there are no enforcement mechanisms within the ILO for non-compliance or breaches of the Conventions. The enforcement of Conventions depends on the jurisprudence of courts recognized by the respective member states.

Classification of the Conventions

The ILO classifies Conventions by type, subject and status.

Type relates to whether the convention is fundamental, covers governance matters or is technical.
Subjects covered by the Conventions:
# Individual rights at work, mainly on safety, wage standards, working time, or social security, and the rights to freedom from forced to work or work during childhood.
# Collective labour rights to participation in the workplace, particularly to join a trade union, collectively bargain and take strike action, as well as direct representation within the management of organizations.
# Rights to equal treatment, that are referential to the terms and conditions of people in comparable situations, with special protections for indigenous communities and migrants.
# Promotion of job security, through standards for dismissals, protection upon an employer's insolvency, regulation of employment agencies and requirements upon member states to promote full and fulfilling employment.
# Requirements for administrative apparatus by governments to enforce and promote labour standards, through inspections, the collection of statistics, training and consulting with unions and employers before the passage of legislation.
# Sectoral Conventions specific to certain industries, these include seafaring, fishing, plantations, hotels, nursing, home and domestic work, where employees may be particularly vulnerable.
Status relates to whether a Convention is up to date, requires revision or has been abrogated.

List of the Conventions

1. Labour rights

2. Workplace participation

3. Equality

4. Job security

5. Administration

Convention	Year	No.	Content	Ratif	Subject
Forced Labour Convention	1930		Obligation for members to "completely suppress such forced or compulsory labour", with exceptions for military, civil service, court orders, for emergencies and minor communal orders.	177	1. Servitude
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention	1948		The right to autonomy in union organisation, for furthering and defending workers' interests by collective bargaining and collective action.	154	2. Unions
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention	1949		Protection against discrimination for joining a trade union, promotion of voluntary collective agreements, taking collective action.	165	2. Unions
Equal Remuneration Convention	1951		The right to equal pay, without any discrimination on grounds of gender.	173	3. Equality
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention	1957		Positive obligation on member states to ensure that all forced labour is abolished.	174	1. Servitude
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention	1958		The right to not be discriminated against on grounds of "race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin", or other grounds determined by member states, in employment.	175	3. Equality
Minimum Age Convention	1973		The requirement that people are at least 15, or a higher age determined by member states, or 14 for member states whose education systems are developing, before working, and 18 years old before dangerous work.	170	1. Children
Occupational Safety and Health Convention	1981		Also, Protocol of 2002 to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981, P155.	67	1. Safety
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention	1999		Duties upon member states to identify and take steps to prohibit the worst forms of child labour.	181	1. Children
Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention	2006			46	1. Safety
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930	2014			61	1. Servitude
Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention	1921			120	1. Working time
Medical Examination of Young Persons (Industry) Convention	1946			43	1. Safety
Medical Examination of Young Persons (Non-Industrial Occupations) Convention	1946			39	1. Safety
Labour Inspection Convention	1947		Also, Protocol of 1995 to the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 P081.	146	5. Administration
Labour Clauses (Public Contracts) Convention	1949			62	1. Wages
Protection of Wages Convention	1949			97	1. Wages
Migration for Employment Convention (Revised)	1949			49	3. Migrant workers
Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention	1952			48	1. Social security
Weekly Rest (Commerce and Offices) Convention	1957			63	1. Working time
Plantations Convention	1958		Also, Protocol of 1982 to the Plantations Convention, 1958, P110.	12	Specific
Radiation Protection Convention	1960			50	1. Safety
Equality of Treatment (Social Security) Convention	1962			38	3. Equality
Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention	1964			51	1. Safety
Employment Injury Benefits Convention	1964			24	1. Social security
Employment Policy Convention	1964		Requirement to develop "co-ordinated economic and social policy"" for the aim of full employment.	107	4. Unemployment
Medical Examination of Young Persons (Underground Work) Convention	1965			41	1. Safety
Invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors' Benefits Convention	1967			16	1. Social security
Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention	1969			53	5. Administration
Medical Care and Sickness Benefits Convention	1969			16	1. Safety
Minimum Wage Fixing Convention	1970			51	1. Wages
Workers' Representatives Convention	1971		Requires that worker representatives suffer no detriment or dismissal, they are given facilities to carry out tasks including trade union and other elected representatives in an undertaking and elected representatives' positions should in no way be used to undermine trade union representatives.	84	2. Representation
Benzene Convention	1971			41	1. Safety
Occupational Cancer Convention	1974			41	1. Safety
Paid Educational Leave Convention	1974			34	1. Working time
Rural Workers' Organisations Convention	1975			41	2. Unions
Human Resources Development Convention	1975			68	5. Administration
Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention	1975			23	3. Migrant workers
Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention	1976			145	5. Administration
Continuity of Employment (Seafarers) Convention	1976			17	Seafarers
Seafarers' Annual Leave with Pay Convention	1976			17	Seafarers
Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention	1976		Also, Protocol of 1996 to the Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1976, P147.	56	Seafarers
Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration) Convention	1977			46	1. Safety
Nursing Personnel Convention	1977			41	Specific
Labour Administration Convention	1978			76	5. Administration
Labour Relations (Public Service) Convention	1978			53	2. Representation
Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention	1979			27	1. Safety
Hours of Work and Rest Periods (Road Transport) Convention	1979			9	1. Working time
Collective Bargaining Convention	1981			48	2. Unions
Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention	1981			44	3. Equality
Maintenance of Social Security Rights Convention	1982			4	1. Social security
Termination of Employment Convention	1982		Requirement for employers to give a good reason before dismissing a worker. No conclusions on revision.	36	4. Fair dismissal
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention	1983			83	3. Equality
Labour Statistics Convention	1985			50	5. Administration
Occupational Health Services Convention	1985			33	1. Safety
Asbestos Convention	1986			35	1. Safety
Seafarers' Welfare Convention	1987			18	Seafarers
Health Protection and Medical Care (Seafarers) Convention	1987			15	Seafarers
Social Security (Seafarers) Convention (Revised)	1987			3	Seafarers
Repatriation of Seafarers Convention (Revised)	1987			14	Seafarers
Safety and Health in Construction Convention	1988			32	1. Safety
Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment Convention	1988			8	4. Unemployment
Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention	1989		The right of indigenous and tribal communities to participate in decision making procedures.	24	3. Indigenous
Chemicals Convention	1990			21	1. Safety
Night Work Convention	1990			17	1. Safety
Working Conditions (Hotels and Restaurants) Convention	1991			16	Specific
Protection of Workers' Claims (Employer's Insolvency) Convention	1992			21	4. Insolvency
Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention	1993			18	1. Safety
Part-Time Work Convention	1994			17	3. Equality
Safety and Health in Mines Convention	1995			33	1. Safety
Home Work Convention	1996			10	Specific
Labour Inspection (Seafarers) Convention	1996			15	Seafarers
Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers Convention	1996			10	Seafarers
Seafarers' Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships Convention	1996			21	Seafarers
Private Employment Agencies Convention	1997			27	4. Agencies
Maternity Protection Convention	2000			34	3. Equality
Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention	2001			16	1. Safety
Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention (Revised)	2003			35	Seafarers
Maritime Labour Convention	2006			90	Seafarers
Work in Fishing Convention	2007			13	Specific
Domestic Workers Convention	2011			27	Specific
Violence and Harassment Convention	2019			6	Specific
Safe and Healthy Working Environment (Consequential Amendments) Convention	2023			0	1. Safety
Hours of Work (Industry) Convention	1919			52	1. Working time
Unemployment Convention	1919		Positive obligation on member states to establish and maintain public employment agencies.	57	4. Unemployment
Maternity Protection Convention	1919			34	1. Child care
Right of Association (Agriculture) Convention	1921			127	2. Unions
Workmen's Compensation (Agriculture) Convention	1921			77	1. Wages
Equality of Treatment (Accident Compensation) Convention	1925			121	3. Equality
Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention	1928			104	1. Wages
Hours of Work (Commerce and Offices) Convention	1930			30	1. Working time
Underground Work (Women) Convention	1935			98	1. Safety
Forty-Hour Week Convention	1935			15	1. Working time
Officers' Competency Certificates Convention	1936			53	Seafarers
Minimum Age (Sea) Convention (Revised)	1936			51	Seafarers
Right of Association (Non-Metropolitan Territories) Convention	1947			9	2. Unions
Labour Inspectorates (Non-Metropolitan Territories) Convention	1947			11	5. Administration
Employment Service Convention	1948			91	4. Unemployment
Night Work (Women) Convention (Revised)	1948			67	1. Working time
Accommodation of Crews Convention (Revised)	1949			47	Seafarers
Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised)	1949			42	4. Agencies
Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery (Agriculture) Convention	1951			53	1. Wages
Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention	1962			32	1. Social security
Holidays with Pay Convention (Revised)	1970			36	1. Working time
Accommodation of Crews (Supplementary Provisions) Convention	1970			32	Seafarers
Dock Work Convention	1973			25	Seafarers

Recommendations

As well as Conventions, the ILO also produces Recommendations, which are widely adopted as standards. These do not necessarily have the same binding effect as Conventions, nor require a ratification and monitoring process, but are nevertheless widely followed. A key norm is the Employment Relationship Recommendation, 2006 that ensures universal protection of workers for rights, and requires clear identification in national law for the employer, state or other party responsible for the right.