Top officials of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) say that informal talks are on as to how labour rights and labour standards can be merged with international trade principles that are governed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) while large multinational companies are approaching the organisation to enforce labour rights in their manufacturing processes and across supply chains and delivery channels.

ILO Deputy Director, International Labour Standards, Geneva, Ms Karen Curtis, said informal discussions or brainstorming is being carried out to find out how labour rights can be incorporated into international trade policies of the WTO.

"In some point of time the WTO would have to wake up to the facts that labour rights cannot be viewed in isolation to international trade. It would be difficult for the WTO in the long term to ignore labour rights," Ms. Curtis said, speaking to the Island Financial Review on the sidelines of a tripartite workshop on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining for participants from Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, held in Colombo.

The ILO in 1998 issued a declaration promoting fundamental principles and rights at work, which was made universal, applicable to all countries, even those which have not ratified ILO’s core conventions, irrespective of economic development.

"One of the reasons for the ILO to formulate this declaration was because at this time, the WTO had failed to live up to expectations of many of its member countries (developing and leased developed nations) and the ILO took it upon itself to formulate a universal declaration that would ensure the rights of workers are respected world over," Ms Curtis said.

Meanwhile, Wael Isba, Senior Declarations Officer, ILO Geneva, said that there is an emerging trend of multinational corporations approaching the ILO for assistance in ensuring fundamental labour rights and standards are respected in their manufacturing processes, supply chains and delivery networks.

"Initially these corporations were concerned about child labour but now they are looking at other areas as well," Isba said.

Elaborating further, Ms Curtis said that there is an emerging trend for corporations to take labour rights seriously as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

"They are not just paying lip-service to labour rights. They know that upholding core labour rights and standards would benefit their image. They know it is important for their pockets," Ms Curtis.

Participants at the three-day workshop, which concluded yesterday, from Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka highlighted several issues regarding Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining.

Weak enforcement of labour laws and poor implementation of core labour standards were common problems to all four South Asian countries.