Digital collections

Digital Collections: First International Labour Conference and Governing Body of the ILO

Discover original documents of the first International Labour Conference and the First Session of the Governing Body of the ILO, which was held in Washington, D.C., from October 29 to November 29, 1919.

News | 18 November 2019
The Conference adopted the first International Labour Standards on working hours, unemployment, and maternity protection, night work of women and young persons and defining minimum age of employment of children.

The first collection features original text of the draft conventions, recommendations and resolutions adopted by the conference, as well as reports on forty-eight hours working week, unemployment, employment of women and children. These documents are important primary sources for ILO Tripartite Member States, historians, legal practitioners as they contextualize national laws and regulations of ILO member states after the First World War.

The International Labour Conference. First Annual Meeting, 1919 collection is organized by topics and by type of documents for easy discovery.

The second collection contains minutes and other documents of the First Session of the ILO Governing Body, which elected Albert Thomas as Provisional Director, and defined the functions, organization and structure of the International Labour Office, permanent secretariat of the International Labour Organization.

Both digital collections are available in English (see links above) and French: Conférence internationale du Travail, 1er session annuelle, 1919; Conseil d'administration du Bureau international du Travail, 1er session, 1919.