This paper discusses the impact of the activities of the International Labor Organization (ILO) on the Indian labor scene. ILO has rendered exemplary service to all the three elements composing it—government, employers and workers. India has greatly benefitted from the ILO standards which helped in improving the lot of the working class. ILO standards have greatly influenced labor legislation, labor welfare, trade unionism and industrial relations. Following ILO tradition, the principle of tripartite consultation has been successfully adopted by the Government of India in the formulation of labor policy on the basis of consensus. In essence, there is a close resemblance between the ILO Philadelphia Charter of 1944 and the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy under the Indian Constitution. The paper also states that all these basic documents are based on the principles of freedom, individual dignity and social justice.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) signifies social justice, universal peace and human dignity. India’s policies and programs, which she pursues in the fulfillment of her obligation towards her people, are also based on similar concepts, namely, social justice, universal peace and human dignity.1 The ILO was set up on April 19, 1919. Its main objective is the improvement of labor conditions.2 The unique feature of this organization is that the representatives of management, labor and government participate in its proceedings. In 1946, when the UNO was established, ILO became the first specialist agency of the organization. The ILO was born as a result of the peace conference convened at the end of World War I at Versailles. As an original signatory to the treaty of peace, India became a member in 1919. The ILO is an international organization; a new social experimental institution trying to make the world conscious that world peace may be affected by the unjust conditions of its working population. It deals with international labor problems, like other inter-governmental organizations such as WHO, working for the universal cause but differing from them in one aspect, namely, in its tripartite structure. Representation at all the proceedings of ILO is given to workers and employers besides governmental agencies. This characteristic feature enables all three agencies to share in its (ILO’s) control, supervision and execution of its policies and programs. There are three groups, namely, the governments which finance it, the workers for whom benefit is created and the employers who share the responsibility for the welfare of the workers.3

Law Review Journal,International Labor Organization (ILO), Government, Employers and Workers, influenced labor legislation, Trade unionism and industrial relations.