Social dialogue and tripartism:

Sound industrial relations and effective social dialogue are a means to promote better wages and working conditions as well as peace and social justice. As instruments of good governance they foster cooperation and economic performance, helping to create an enabling environment for the realization of the objective of Decent Work at the national level.

Social dialogue and tripartism covers:

• Negotiation, consultation and information exchange between and among the different actors;
• Collective bargaining;
• Dispute prevention and resolution.
• Other instruments of social dialogue, including corporate social responsibility and international framework agreements.

Preconditions for sound social dialogue:

• Strong, independent workers' and employers' organizations with the technical capacity and access to relevant information to participate in social dialogue;
• Political will and commitment to engage in social dialogue on the part of all the parties;
• Respect for the fundamental rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining; and
• An enabling legal and institutional framework.

How the ILO helps:

The ILO aims to assist member States in establishing or strengthening legal frameworks, institutions, machinery or processes for sound industrial relations and effective social dialogue in member States. It also aims to promote social dialogue among member States and regional or subregional groupings as means of consensus building, economic and social development, and good governance. It supports the development of knowledge on global industrial relations, in particular the actors and institutions involved in cross-border social dialogue and agreements.