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International Labour Conference: 6th - 10th Sessions

The International Labour Conference through time

6th Session - 1924 (16 June-5 July)

There were 291 members of the Conference from 40 countries; among them, 69 were delegates of their governments, 29 represented the employers' associations, 28 were from workers' organisations of their respective countries, and there were 165 technical advisers.

Source: Report of the Credentials Committee. 

President

Mr Hjalmar Branting, Parliamentary Secretary to the British Ministry of Labour

Vice-presidents

Dr Aristides de Agüero y Béthancourt, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba

Mr Robert Pinot, French Employers' delegate

Mr Corneille Mertens, General Secretary of the Belgian Trade Union Committee, Belgian Workers' delegate

Source: Minutes of the First Sitting.

I. Development of facilities for the utilisation of workers' leisure;

II. Equality of treatment for national and foreign workers as regards workmen's compensation for accidents;

III. Weekly suspension of work for twenty-four hours in glass-manufacturing processes where tank furnaces are used;

IV. Nightwork in bakeries.

The Sixth Session of the International Labour Conference held twenty-two plenary sittings and resulted in a Recommendation and three proposed Conventions:

  • Recommendation (No. 21) concerning the Development of Facilities for the Utilisation of Workers' Spare Time
  • Convention concerning Equality of Treatment for National and Foreign Workers as regards Workmen's Compensation for Accidents
  • Convention concerning the Weekly Suspension of Work for Twenty-four Hours in Glass-manufacturing Processes where Tank Furnaces are used
  • Convention on Night Work in Bakeries

7th Session - 1925 (19 May-10 June)

There were 144 delegates present, of whom 80 represented their Governments, 32 the employers, and 32 the workers; 46 States were represented.

Source: Report of the Credentials Committee. 

President

Doctor Edward Benes, formerly Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia

Vice-presidents

Mr Emilio Bello Codesido, Chilian Government delegate

Mr Charles Tzaut, delegate of the Swiss employers

Mr Edward Lawrence Poulton, J.P., Secretary of the British National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives

 

Source: Minutes of the First Sitting.

I. Workmen's Compensation;

II. Equality of treatment for national and foreign workers as regards workmen's compensation for accidents (final vote on the Draft Convention and Recommendation adopted by a preliminary vote of the Conference at its Sixth Session);

III. Weekly suspension of work for twenty-four hours in glass-manufacturing processes where tank furnaces are used (final vote on the Draft Convention adopted by a preliminary vote of the Conference at its Sixth Session);

IV. Night work in bakeries (final vote on the Draft Convention adopted by a preliminary vote of the Conference at its Sixth Session).

The Seventh Session of the International Labour Conference held twenty-six plenary sittings and resulted in four Recommendations and four Conventions:

8th Session - 1926 (26 May-5 June)

Thirty-nine countries were represented at the Eighth Session of the Conference. The number of delegates sent from these States was 131, of which 71 were Government delegates, 29 employers' delegates and 31 workers' delegates. The Conference also included 8 substitute delegates, of which 6 were Government substitutes and 2 employers' substitutes, and 107 technical advisers. The total number of persons who attended the Conference either as titular or substitute delegates or technical advisers was 246.

Source: Report of the Credentials Committee. 

President

Mr Nolens, Minister of State, Government Delegate of the Netherlands

Vice-presidents

H.E. Dr Agüero y Bethancourt, Government delegate of Cuba

Dr Hodac, Employers’ delegate of Czechoslovakia

Mr Müller, Workers’ delegate of Germany

 

Source: Minutes of the First Sitting.

I. The simplification of the inspection of emigrants on board ship.

The Eighth Session of the International Labour Conference held fourteen plenary sittings and resulted in a Recommendation and a Convention adopted:

9th Session - Maritime Conference - 1926 (7-24 June)

Thirty-eight countries were represented at the Ninth Session of the Conference; compared with the Eighth Session; only Switzerland declared no maritime interests, it did not consider it necessary to be represented at the Conference. The number of delegates was 129, including 70 Government delegates, 29 employers' delegates, and 30 workers' delegates. There were 21 substitute delegates, including 12 for the Governments, 4 for the employers, and 4 for the workers. There were 121 technical advisers, of whom 50 represented the Governments, 32 the employers, and 39 the workers. The total number of persons accredited to the Conference as regular or substitute delegates or technical advisers was 271.

Source: Report of the Credentials Committee. 

President

Viscount Burnham, British Government delegate 

Vice-presidents

Mr Bandiera de Mello, Brazilian Government delegate

Mr. de Rousiers, French Employers' delegate

Mr Mahlman, Belgian Workers' delegate

 

Source: Minutes of the First Sitting.

I. The international codification of rules relating to seamen's articles of agreement;

II. General principles for the inspection of conditions of work of seamen.

The Ninth Session of the International Labour Conference held seventeen plenary sittings and adopted two Recommendations and two Conventions:

10th Session - 1927 (25 May-16 June)

Forty-three countries were represented at the Conference. There were 145 delegates, including 80 Government delegates, 34 employers' delegates, and 31 workers' delegates. In addition, there were 24 substitute delegates, including 18 substitutes for Government delegates, 3 substitutes for employers' delegates, and 3 substitutes for workers' delegates, as well as 166 advisers and 6 substitute advisers. The total number of persons accredited to the Conference as regular or substitute delegates or advisers was 341.

Source: Report of the Credentials Committee. 

President

Sir Atul Chatterjee, Indian Government delegate,

Vice-presidents

Mr de Michelis, Italian Government delegate

Mr Oersted, Danish Employers' delegate

Mr Francisco Largo Caballero, Spanish Workers' delegate.

 

Source: Minutes of the First Sitting.

I. Sickness Insurance

II. Freedom of Association

III. Minimum wage fixing machinery in trades in which organisation of employers and workers is defective and where wages are exceptionally low, with special reference to the home working trades.

The Tenth Session of the International Labour Conference held twenty-three plenary sittings and adopted a Recommendation and two Draft Conventions: