Citation

Vosko LF. Glob. Soc. Policy 2002; 2(1): 19-46.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1468018102002001093

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

With the proliferation of supranational trade agreements and the deregulation of national labour markets, calls for representative international organizations and international mechanisms aimed at improving the conditions of workers are growing. One outcome of these developments is that international organizations, like the International Labour Organization (ILO), are rethinking their roles under globalization. This article examines the ILO's new platform of action known as Decent Work, exploring whether it represents a challenge to the hegemonic order characterizing the organization historically. It finds that Decent Work is emblematic of the evolving hegemonic order in the ILO yet struggles over the platform reveal counter-hegemonic forces at its margins. Decent Work thus represents an effort at mediating tensions inside the ILO between global capital, member states, trade unions and NGOs and its two leading initiatives reflect this role: the Social Declaration and the commitment to craft standards to improve the situation of marginalized workers.