Which ILO convention protects freedom of association and the right to organize?

ILO Convention No. 87 protects freedom of association and the right to organize.

The International Labour Organization adopted the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention in 1948. It is one of the ILO’s fundamental conventions and establishes protections for workers and employers who form or join organizations of their choosing.

The convention also protects organizations from unlawful interference by public authorities. Its principles support independent trade unions and employers’ associations, although the convention leaves some details of national industrial-relations systems to domestic law.

Convention No. 87 is often confused with Convention No. 98. Convention No. 98, adopted in 1949, focuses more specifically on organizing, collective bargaining, and protection against anti-union discrimination. Together, the two conventions form a core part of international labor-rights standards.