International labour standards for judges: A regional workshop

Code:A4010709

Dates:13-15 September 2017

Venue:Turin, Italy

This workshop is jointly organized and implemented by the International Training Centre (ITCILO) and the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Central and Eastern Europe (DWT/CO-Budapest).

Background and rationale

International labour standards (ILS) adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) are important tools for the development of national legislation. However, the contribution of international labour law is not limited to its impact on labour legislation. ILS can also contribute to strengthening domestic case law on labour matters, including in times of crisis and hardship where fundamental principles and rights at work are at risk and a sound and unitary case law is key.

International labour law is a highly valuable resource for domestic judges and lawyers seeking to settle labour disputes. Together with the comments and analysis of the relevant supervisory bodies, ILS offer a matchless source of interpretation and inspiration for judges and lawyers in ILO member States. Several examples show that domestic courts are hesitating less and less to draw not only on international labour Conventions and Recommendations but also on the work of the ILO’s supervisory bodies to interpret and complement their domestic law.

The International Training Centre (ITCILO) in Turin, Italy, in collaboration with the ILO, accordingly encourage the exchanges among judges to enhance use of the sources of international labour law in dispute settlement.

Objectives

General objective

The objective of the workshop is twofold:

  • to strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills to use international labour law sources at national level;
  • to facilitate the sharing of experiences and practices among peers.

Specific objectives

At the end of the workshop, participants will:

  • have an in-depth knowledge of the ILS system;
  • be able to determine how to best use international labour law to solve labour disputes;
  • understand the relevance of the analysis and pronouncements of the ILO’s supervisory bodies and use them;
  • be able to identify and make use of ILS in key selected areas; and
  • be able to find and use resources and tools on ILS and case-law relying on them.

Participants’ profile

The workshop is intended forjudges from courts and tribunals that deal with labour litigation inEuropean countries, including: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Judges from other countries can also benefit from the workshop.

Structure and content

The workshop will cover the following:

  • the ILS system: legal nature and main characteristics of ILO standards; ILS procedures from their elaboration and adoption to national application;
  • when and how judges can use international labour law;
  • the work of the ILO’s supervisory bodies and its relevance to judges;
  • the content and judicial use of ILS on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation,and migrant workers;
  • ILO’s and ITCILO’sdatabases on ILS and case-law relying on them, and other resources on the Net.

Language

The workshop will be conducted inEnglish.

Methodology and materials

Methods used in the workshop aim to take advantage of the participants’ high-level of competencies and experience. Considerable time will therefore be devoted to case studiesand group discussions.

The materials used during the workshop include a manual on “International Labour Law and Domestic Law” and a compendium of court decisions from numerous jurisdictions around the world, which have relied on ILS.

Resource persons

Resource persons will include experts from the judiciary, the ILO and the ITCILO.

Registrations

Participantsare requested to fill inand submit the on-line registration form, available at by 28 July 2017.

Preliminary reports

To facilitate the sharing of information and experience, each participant will be asked to deliver a short report (5 pages maximum) before the workshop on the place of international law in domestic law and the use of international law at the national level, with special focus on international labour law.

As an Organization dedicated to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, the ILO is taking a leading role in international efforts to foster gender equality. In line with this ILO focus, women are particularly encouraged to apply to ITCILO courses.

For further information, please contact:

International Training Centre of the ILO
Programme on International Labour Standards, Rights at Work and Gender Equality
Viale Maestri del Lavoro, 10 - 10127 Turin - Italy
Phone: +39.011.693.6920-6600 / Fax: +39.011.639.1913
E-mail:
Website: / Christina Mihes
Senior Specialist in Social Dialogue and Labour Law
ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Central and Eastern Europe
Mozsár utca 14 - Budapest – Hungary - 1066
Phone: +36.1.301.4900 / Fax: +36.1.353.3683
E-mail:

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