The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the tripartite United Nations agency that brings together governments, employers and workers of its member states in common action to promote decent work throughout the world.

The ILO's Governing Body has identified eight conventions as "fundamental", covering subjects that are considered as fundamental principles and rights at work: freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; the effective abolition of child labour; and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. These principles are also covered in the ILO's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998). In 1995, the ILO launched a campaign to achieve universal ratification of these eight conventions which are:

• Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87)
• Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29)
• Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)
• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)
• Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)
• Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)
• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100)
• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)

Trinidad and Tobago has ratified all eight Conventions

Conventions and Recommendations
International labour standards are legal instruments drawn up by the ILO's constituents (governments, employers and workers) and set out basic principles and rights at work. They are either Conventions, which are legally binding international treaties that may be ratified by member states, or Recommendations, which serve as non-binding guidelines. In many cases, a Convention lays down the basic principles to be implemented by ratifying countries, while a related Recommendation supplements the Convention by providing more detailed guidelines on how it could be applied. Recommendations can also be autonomous, i.e. not linked to any convention.

The ILO provides a complete list of their Conventions and Recommendations on their web site.