As the only international regulatory body drafting conventions & recommendations on employment related matters, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is of special interest to Ciett. The work of the ILO can represent a very good and relevant framework to draft guidelines on the best way to define a suitable regulatory environment for the Agency Work industry.

This is the reason why Ciett has been very much involved in the drafting of ILO Convention n°181 on Private Employment Agencies, which represented a dramatic u-turn of the ILO position regarding the Agency Work industry: from prohibition (Convention n°96) to legal recognition and support of the development of the activities of private employment agencies.  

Adopted in 1997, ILO Convention 181 on private employment agencies recognises the “role private employment agencies may play in a well-functioning labour market”. The purpose of the Convention is to allow the operation of private employment agencies as well as to protect the workers using their services (Article 2.3).

Ciett explicitly welcomes the Convention 181 as in instrument for international minimum standard for the agency work industry. To date, 22 countries have ratified the Convention 181 and its accompanying Recommendation 188. In cooperation  with UNI Global Union, Ciett has originated several events to increase awareness of C181 and promote further ratifications of the Convention. The latest event took place in October 2009 as a tripartite workshop organised by the ILO Office in Geneva. More than 100 participants representing governmants, workers and employers attended the workshop and adopted at the end of the 3 day event some Points of Consensus (available in English, French and Spanish).

In 2007, the ILO Office has prepared a Guide to Private Employment Agencies in order to provide assistance to national legislators and social partners in drafting legal frameworks in line with Convention 181 and Recommendation 188 on private employment agencies. It is rich with many examples of national legislation and includes specific provisions for both developed and developing countries.

In 2006, the ILO Conference adopted a recommendation on the Employment Relationship, which addresses particularly disguised and ambiguous employment relationships. In the debate on this recommendation, Ciett advocated to draw a clear line between the disguised and ambiguous employment relationships and the services provided by private employment agencies, as private employment agencies are already covered and regulated by the Convention 181. In the final debate on the Employment Relationship Recommendation, the ILO Conference adopted a disclaimer that clarifies the interrelation between Convention 181 and the Recommendation on the Employment Relationship.

 

Ciett has observer seats at the ILO Conferences and regularly visits the ILO headquarters in Geneva to address and discuss topics of concern for private employment agencies.