Tripartite bodies
Industrial relations in India have been shaped largely by principles and policies evolved through tripartite consultative machinery at the industry and national levels. The aim of the consultative machinery is to bring parties together for mutual settlement of differences in a spirit of co-operation and goodwill. The role of the tripartite machinery has been summarized by Planning Commission this. A large number of tripartite bodies have been set up by the government to provide a forum of discussion and consultation on various labour related issues:
- Indian Labour Conference
- Standing Labour Committee
- Committee on Conventions
- Industrial Committees
- Indian Labour Conference
The Indian Labour Conference (ILC) is the apex level tripartite consultative committee in the Ministry of Labour & Employment to advise the Government on the issues concerning working class of the country. All the 12 Central Trade Union Organisations, Central Organisations of employers, all State Governments and Union Territories and Central Ministries/Departments concerned with the agenda items, are the members of the ILC. It was constituted with the objective of establishing co-operation between the government, the employers and the trade unions. The first meeting of the Indian Labour Conference (then called Tripartite National Labour Conference) was held in 1942 and so far a total of 46 Sessions have been held. The 46th Session of Indian Labour Conference was held on 20-21 July, 2015 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, Minister of Labour & Employment. However, since the early 1970s the India Labour Conference met only sporadically, depending on the issues and concerns of the Labour Ministry.
The main function of ILC is to advice the government of India on any matter referred to it for advice, taking into account suggestions made by the provincial government, the states and representatives of the organisations of workers and employers.
The objects of India Labour Conference are:
i. To promote uniformity in labour legislations
ii. To lay down a procedure for the settlement of industrial dispute
iii. To discuss all matters of all India importance as between employers and employees.
As recommended by the National Labour Conference held in September 17-18, 1982, only Trade Union Organisations, which have, a membership of more than five lakhs spread over four States and four industries are given representation in the ILC (as per composition attached).