From the 189 Conventions in total, there are 8 fundamental Conventions, binding on every member regardless of ratification, and a further 71 Conventions that are up to date and in force. The subjects covered by the Conventions concern, first and in the most numerous group, individual rights at work, mainly on safety, wage standards, working time, or social security, and the rights to not be forced to work or work during childhood. Second are collective labour rights to participation in the workplace, particularly to join a trade union, collectively bargain and take strike action, as well as direct representation within the management of organizations. Third, there are a series of rights to equal treatment, that are referential to the terms and conditions of people in comparable situations, with special protections for indigenous communities and migrants. Fourth, a set of Conventions promote job security, through standards for dismissals, protection upon an employer's insolvency, regulation of employment agencies and requirements upon member states to promote full and fulfilling employment. Fifth, there are 6 Conventions which require administrative apparatus by governments to enforce and promote labour standards, such as through inspections, collecting statistics, developing training and consulting with unions and employers before passing legislation. Seafarers are the subject of 12 specific Conventions because of the frequently international nature of their work, and a further 6 Conventions relate to conditions in the fishing, plantation, hotels, nursing, home and domestic work, where employees may be particularly vulnerable.
| Convention | No. | Content | Ratif | Subject |
|---|
|
| Forced Labour Convention, 1930 | C029 | Obligation for members to "completely suppress such forced or compulsory labour", with exceptions for military, civil service, court orders, for emergencies and minor communal orders. | 177 | 1. Servitude |
| Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 | C087 | The right to autonomy in union organisation, for furthering and defending workers' interests by collective bargaining and collective action. | 154 | 2. Unions |
| Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 | C098 | Protection against discrimination for joining a trade union, promotion of voluntary collective agreements, taking collective action. | 165 | 2. Unions |
| Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 | C100 | The right to equal pay, without any discrimination on grounds of gender. | 173 | 3. Equality |
| Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 | C105 | Positive obligation on member states to ensure that all forced labour is abolished. | 174 | 1. Servitude |
| Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 | C111 | The right to not be discriminated against on grounds of "race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin", or other grounds determined by member states, in employment. | 175 | 3. Equality |
| Minimum Age Convention, 1973 | C138 | The requirement that people are at least 15, or a higher age determined by member states, or 14 for member states whose education systems are developing, before working, and 18 years old before dangerous work. | 170 | 1. Children |
| Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 | C182 | Duties upon member states to identify and take steps to prohibit the worst forms of child labour (slavery, prostitution, drug trafficking and other dangerous jobs). | 181 | 1. Children |
| Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921 | C014 | 119 | 1. Working time |
| Medical Examination of Young Persons (Industry) Convention, 1946 | C077 | 43 | 1. Safety |
| Medical Examination of Young Persons (Non-Industrial Occupations) Convention, 1946 | C078 | 39 | 1. Safety |
| Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 | C081 | Also, Protocol of 1995 to the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 P081. | 146 | 5. Administration |
| Labour Clauses (Public Contracts) Convention, 1949 | C094 | 62 | 1. Wages |
| Protection of Wages Convention, 1949 | C095 | 97 | 1. Wages |
| Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 | C097 | 49 | 3. Migrant workers |
| Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 | C102 | 48 | 1. Social security |
| Weekly Rest (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1957 | C106 | 63 | 1. Working time |
| Plantations Convention, 1958 | C110 | Also, Protocol of 1982 to the Plantations Convention, 1958, P110. | 12 | Specific |
| Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 | C115 | 50 | 1. Safety |
| Equality of Treatment (Social Security) Convention, 1962 | C118 | 38 | 3. Equality |
| Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1964 | C120 | 51 | 1. Safety |
| Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964 | C121 | 24 | 1. Social security |
| Employment Policy Convention, 1964 | C122 | Requirement to develop "co-ordinated economic and social policy"" for the aim of full employment. | 107 | 4. Unemployment |
| Medical Examination of Young Persons (Underground Work) Convention, 1965 | C124 | 41 | 1. Safety |
| Invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors' Benefits Convention, 1967 | C128 | 16 | 1. Social security |
| Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 | C129 | 53 | 5. Administration |
| Medical Care and Sickness Benefits Convention, 1969 | C130 | 16 | 1. Safety |
| Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 | C131 | 51 | 1. Wages |
| Workers' Representatives Convention, 1971 | C135 | Requires that worker representatives suffer no detriment or dismissal (art 1), they are given facilities to carry out tasks (art 2) including trade union and other elected representatives in an undertaking (art 3) and elected representatives' positions should in no way be used to undermine trade union representatives (art 5). | 84 | 2. Representation |
| Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 | C139 | 41 | 1. Safety |
| Paid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 | C140 | 34 | 1. Working time |
| Rural Workers' Organisations Convention, 1975 | C141 | 41 | 2. Unions |
| Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 | C142 | 68 | 5. Administration |
| Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 | C143 | 23 | 3. Migrant workers |
| Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 | C144 | 145 | 5. Administration |
| Continuity of Employment (Seafarers) Convention, 1976 | C145 | 17 | Seafarers |
| Seafarers' Annual Leave with Pay Convention, 1976 | C146 | 17 | Seafarers |
| Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1976 | C147 | Also, Protocol of 1996 to the Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1976, P147. | 56 | Seafarers |
| Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration) Convention, 1977 | C148 | 46 | 1. Safety |
| Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 | C149 | 41 | Specific |
| Labour Administration Convention, 1978 | C150 | 76 | 5. Administration |
| Labour Relations (Public Service) Convention, 1978 | C151 | 53 | 2. Representation |
| Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention, 1979 | C152 | 27 | 1. Safety |
| Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 | C154 | 48 | 2. Unions |
| Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 | C155 | Also, Protocol of 2002 to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981, P155. | 67 | 1. Safety |
| Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 | C156 | 44 | 3. Equality |
| Maintenance of Social Security Rights Convention, 1982 | C157 | 4 | 1. Social security |
| Termination of Employment Convention, 1982 | C158 | Requirement for employers to give a good reason before dismissing a worker. No conclusions on revision. | 36 | 4. Fair dismissal |
| Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 | C159 | 83 | 3. Equality |
| Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 | C160 | 50 | 5. Administration |
| Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 | C161 | 33 | 1. Safety |
| Asbestos Convention, 1986 | C162 | 35 | 1. Safety |
| Seafarers' Welfare Convention, 1987 | C163 | 18 | Seafarers |
| Health Protection and Medical Care (Seafarers) Convention, 1987 | C164 | 15 | Seafarers |
| Social Security (Seafarers) Convention (Revised), 1987 | C165 | 3 | Seafarers |
| Repatriation of Seafarers Convention (Revised), 1987 | C166 | 14 | Seafarers |
| Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 | C167 | 32 | 1. Safety |
| Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment Convention, 1988 | C168 | 8 | 4. Unemployment |
| Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 | C169 | The right of indigenous and tribal communities to participate in decision making procedures. | 22 | 3. Indigenous |
| Chemicals Convention, 1990 | C170 | 21 | 1. Safety |
| Night Work Convention, 1990 | C171 | 17 | 1. Safety |
| Working Conditions (Hotels and Restaurants) Convention, 1991 | C172 | 16 | Specific |
| Protection of Workers' Claims (Employer's Insolvency) Convention, 1992 | C173 | 21 | 4. Insolvency |
| Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention, 1993 | C174 | 18 | 1. Safety |
| Part-Time Work Convention, 1994 | C175 | 17 | 3. Equality |
| Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 | C176 | 33 | 1. Safety |
| Home Work Convention, 1996 | C177 | 10 | Specific |
| Labour Inspection (Seafarers) Convention, 1996 | C178 | 15 | Seafarers |
| Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers Convention, 1996 | C179 | 10 | Seafarers |
| Seafarers' Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships Convention, 1996 | C180 | 21 | Seafarers |
| Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 | C181 | 27 | 4. Agencies |
| Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 | C183 | 34 | 3. Equality |
| Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention, 2001 | C184 | 16 | 1. Safety |
| Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003 | C185 | 35 | Seafarers |
| Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 | MLC | 90 | Seafarers |
| Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 | C187 | 46 | 1. Safety |
| Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 | C188 | 13 | Specific |
| Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 | C189 | 27 | Specific |
| Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, 1919 | C001 | 52 | 1. Working time |
| Unemployment Convention, 1919 | C002 | Positive obligation on member states to establish and maintain public employment agencies. | 57 | 4. Unemployment |
| Maternity Protection Convention, 1919 | C003 | 34 | 1. Child care |
| Right of Association (Agriculture) Convention, 1921 | C011 | 127 | 2. Unions |
| Workmen's Compensation (Agriculture) Convention, 1921 | C012 | 77 | 1. Wages |
| Equality of Treatment (Accident Compensation) Convention, 1925 | C019 | 121 | 3. Equality |
| Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention, 1928 | C026 | 104 | 1. Wages |
| Hours of Work (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1930 | C030 | 30 | 1. Working time |
| Underground Work (Women) Convention, 1935 | C045 | 98 | 1. Safety |
| Forty-Hour Week Convention, 1935 | C047 | 15 | 1. Working time |
| Officers' Competency Certificates Convention, 1936 | C053 | 53 | Seafarers |
| Minimum Age (Sea) Convention (Revised), 1936 | C058 | 51 | Seafarers |
| Right of Association (Non-Metropolitan Territories) Convention, 1947 | C084 | 9 | 2. Unions |
| Labour Inspectorates (Non-Metropolitan Territories) Convention, 1947 | C085 | 11 | 5. Administration |
| Employment Service Convention, 1948 | C088 | 91 | 4. Unemployment |
| Night Work (Women) Convention (Revised), 1948 | C089 | 67 | 1. Working time |
| Accommodation of Crews Convention (Revised), 1949 | C092 | 47 | Seafarers |
| Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised), 1949 | C096 | 42 | 4. Agencies |
| Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery (Agriculture) Convention, 1951 | C099 | 53 | 1. Wages |
| Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 | C117 | 32 | 1. Social security |
| Holidays with Pay Convention (Revised), 1970 | C132 | 36 | 1. Working time |
| Accommodation of Crews (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1970 | C133 | 32 | Seafarers |
| Dock Work Convention, 1973 | C137 | 25 | Seafarers |
|