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From a ‘Moral Commentator’ to a ‘Determined Actor’? How the International Labour Organization (ILO) Orchestrates the Field of International Industrial Relations

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  • Huw Thomas
  • Peter Turnbull

Abstract

Collective action on the part of the International Labour Organization (ILO) has always been dependent on the ability of the International Labour Office, the permanent secretariat of the ILO, to orchestrate a consensus between the Organization's tripartite constituents of Government, Employer and Worker representatives. This consensus fell with the Berlin Wall, prompting the Office to bypass states by engaging with external interactants in order to promote international labour standards and decent work. Most recently, in order to shift the emphasis from ‘moral commentary’ to ‘determined action’, the Office has reverted to managing states, albeit in the face of determined Employer counter‐framing. Employer opposition, supported by several member States, cannot be underestimated, as any orchestration within the international industrial relations field is contingent on concerted action.

Suggested Citation

  • Huw Thomas & Peter Turnbull, 2021. "From a ‘Moral Commentator’ to a ‘Determined Actor’? How the International Labour Organization (ILO) Orchestrates the Field of International Industrial Relations," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 59(3), pages 874-898, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:59:y:2021:i:3:p:874-898
    DOI: 10.1111/bjir.12578
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lucio Baccaro & Valentina Mele, 2012. "Pathology of Path Dependency? The ILO and the Challenge of New Governance," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 65(2), pages 195-224, April.
    2. Antony Alcock, 1971. "History of the International Labour Organisation," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-01136-0, December.
    3. Kerry RITTICH, 2015. "The ILO: Challenges in times of crisis," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 154(1), pages 85-90, March.
    4. Janice R. BELLACE, 2014. "The ILO and the right to strike," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 153(1), pages 29-70, March.
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