The Indian Labour Conference (ILC) is the apex level tripartite consultative committee in the Ministry of Labour & Employment to advise the Government on the issues concerning working class of the country. All the 12 Central Trade Union Organisations, Central Organisations of employers, all State Governments and Union Territories and Central Ministries/Departments concerned with the agenda items, are the members of the ILC.

2. Parity in number of representatives is maintained between the Employers’ and Workers’ Groups by allocation of equal number of seats to each Group. As recommended by the National Labour Conference held in September 17-18, 1982, only Trade Union Organisations, which have, a membership of more than five lakhs spread over four States and four industries are given representation in the ILC (as per composition attached).

The Labour and Employment Ministers of BRICS countries met again at the margins of 105th Session of International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, from 30th May-10th June, 2016 and discussed issues of common interest to the group like employment generation, SMEs, transition to informality and possible modes of cooperation amongst them.

3. As a matter of practice, and to maintain continuous dialogue with social partners, meetings of this apex body is convened at regular interval to discuss the topical issues concerning labour.

4. The first meeting of the Indian Labour Conference (then called Tripartite National Labour Conference) was held in 1942 and so far a total of 46 Sessions have been held. The 46th Session of Indian Labour Conference was held on 20-21 July, 2015 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, Minister of Labour & Employment. The Conference was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India at 10.00 A.M. on 20th July, 2015.

5. The Standing Labour Committee (SLC), a tripartite body is a pre-cursor to the Indian Labour Conference. The 48th Session of SLC was held on 11th May, 2017 at New Delhi. The Standing Labour Committee after detailed deliberations finalized following four agenda items for discussion in the 47th Session of Indian Labour Conference to be held on 26th & 27th Feb 2018:

(i) Social Security for all;
(ii) Labour Law amendment, reforms and codification;
(iii) Employment Generation with special focus on women;
(iv) Transition to formal employment.

6. After the inaugural Session and general discussion, the Conference will split into the four committees to have detailed deliberation on each of the four items of the agenda of the Conference. Each Conference Committee, comprised of tripartite representatives from Worker/Employer/Government, will meet separately to discuss the subject matter assigned to it in detail and present the conclusions arrived at therein for adoption in the Concluding Session of the Conference. Governments at Centre and State take necessary action on the conclusions of the Conference.