REVIEW AND STUDY MATERIAL
on
Decent Work
1. What “Decent Work” means
Decent work = opportunities for productive work delivered with freedom, equity, security, and
dignity—anchored on four inseparable pillars: (1) employment creation, (2) rights at work, (3) social
protection, and (4) social dialogue. It is central to SDG 8 (“decent work and economic growth”) and
underpins many other SDGs. (International Labor Organization)
2. Core ILO foundations you find in the exam
• Decent Work Agenda (1999 → present) institutionalized by the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for
a Fair Globalization (2008), which reaffirms the four strategic objectives/pillars as “inseparable,
interrelated and mutually supportive.” (International Labor Organization)
• Measurement & indicators. ILO’s Decent Work Indicators (concepts/definitions & manuals) provide
a framework to track progress (employment opportunities, adequate earnings, working time, OSH,
social security, social dialogue, etc.). Expect indicator-type questions. (International Labor
Organization)
• 2030 Agenda link. ILO briefs explicitly position decent work as both a goal and driver of sustainable
development. (International Labor Organization)
3. Nursing & the Health Sector: the must-know ILO instruments
• C149 Nursing Personnel Convention (1977) + R157 Recommendation: standards on education &
training, fair remuneration, working time & rest, occupational safety and health (OSH), career
development, staffing & planning, and participation in decision-making—applicable across settings
(public/private; inpatient/community). Cite by number in essays. (International Labor Organization)
• Tripartite conclusions for health services (2017): underline that decent work in health is a
prerequisite for resilient health systems; flag issues like precarious contracts, long/unsocial hours,
workforce shortages, moral distress, and the need for social dialogue in staffing/rostering.
(International Labor Organization)
• C190 Violence and Harassment Convention (2019) + guidance: establishes the right to a world of
work free from violence and harassment, covering physical, psychological, and sexual harassment—
high-yield for clinical scenarios (e.g., emergency, community calls, home care). (Normlex)
• Care economy focus (2018, 2024): ILO reports and an ILC resolution frame nursing as core to the
care economy, calling for investment, valuation of care work, decent working time, and social
protection. Useful for policy/essay items. (International Labor Organization)
4. Translate the four pillars into nursing practice
A. Employment creation
• Adequate staffing and fair recruitment (avoid exploitative practices; ethical mobility; planning
to reduce shortages).
• Pathways into formal work (transition from informal/contractual to secure employment where
possible). (International Labor Organization)
B. Rights at work
• Freedom of association & collective bargaining (nurses’ voice in staffing, safety, and
scheduling).
• Non-discrimination & equal remuneration (gender pay gap, equity for night/shift work,
pregnancy protection).
• Freedom from violence & harassment (C190)—prevention, reporting mechanisms, survivor-
centered response. (Normlex)
C. Social protection
• Income security (timely pay, predictable allowances, differentials), maternity protection, sick
leave, and injury/illness coverage; extend to agency/contract nurses. (International Labor
Organization)
REVIEW AND STUDY MATERIAL
on
Decent Work
D. Social dialogue
• Structured participation of nurses in decisions on workload, shift patterns, skill mix, training,
and occupational safety; use joint committees, CBA mechanisms. (International Labor
Organization)
5. Working conditions that will frequently appear in the exam scenarios
• Working time & fatigue: plan safe shifts (limits on long/unsocial hours, rest breaks, recovery time
after nights), align with patient safety. (International Labor Organization)
• OSH essentials: biological risks, sharps injuries, ergonomic hazards, psychosocial risks, and violence;
ensure training, PPE, reporting, and just culture. (International Labor Organization)
• Fair remuneration & progression: transparent pay structures; recognition for specialization and
preceptor roles; avoid chronic “acting” roles without compensation. (International Labor
Organization)
• Education & career development: continuous training and recognized competencies are explicit in
nursing standards (C149/R157). (International Labor Organization)
• Care-economy undervaluation: policy remedies include investment, formalization, and integrated
social protection. (International Labor Organization)
6. Decent Work indicators you can apply in situations at work
Use these as mini-audits or reflection prompts during your clinical duty:
1. Employment & earnings: vacancy rate; turnover; % with written contracts; on-time pay; wage
differentials paid. (International Labor Organization)
2. Working time: weekly hours; consecutive night shifts; rest breaks; recovery periods post-nights.
(International Labor Organization)
3. OSH & well-being: incident/near-miss reporting, availability of PPE/post-exposure prophylaxis,
violence incidents tracked + response. (International Labor Organization)
4. Social protection: sick leave uptake, maternity protection access, injury compensation claims
processed. (International Labor Organization)
5. Social dialogue/voice: existence of nurse-management committee; % issues resolved; staff
participation in rostering models. (International Labor Organization)
7. Common prompts that will be used in the examination
• Unsafe schedules & errors spike → argue for decent working time, rest and staffing via C149 + ILO
working-time policy brief; mention social dialogue for roster redesign. (International Labor
Organization)
• Bullying/harassment in the ward → cite C190: prevention policy, reporting pathways, support &
remedies; training and monitoring. (Normlex)
• High agency reliance & high turnover → link to employment creation/formalization strategies and
fair conditions to retain staff. (International Labor Organization)
• Home-care nurse assaulted on duty → apply C190 scope (occurring “in the course of, linked with
or arising out of work”); require risk assessment, protocols, and support. (Normlex)
• New nurse cohort underpaid vs. scale → use Decent Work indicators on adequate earnings and
non-discrimination, and invoke C149/R157 on fair remuneration and career ladders. (International
Labor Organization)
8. Quick glossary
• Decent Work: Productive work with freedom, equity, security, dignity. (International Labor
Organization)
• Four pillars: Employment, rights, social protection, social dialogue. (International Labor
Organization)
• C149/R157: ILO nursing standards on conditions of work, education, OSH, staffing, participation.
(International Labor Organization)
• C190: Right to a world of work free from violence and harassment. (Normlex)
REVIEW AND STUDY MATERIAL
on
Decent Work
• Care economy: Paid and unpaid care (health, social work, domestic work); policy priority for
decent work. (International Labor Organization)
