Trade Unions and Cooperatives: Challenges and perspectives
Abstract
Based on the International Labour Organisation’s Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation 2002 (no. 193), this article examines the transitioning from informal to formal players by forming cooperatives. The ILO has a long tradition of work on the subject of informal economies. The problem was first addressed in 1972 and Recommendation no. 193 (paragraph 9) proposes « transformation of what are often marginal survival activities (sometimes called «informal economy») into legally protected work, fully integrated into the mainstream of economic life». The ILO’s idea of (in)formal is a legal concept. This article examines several of the paragraphs in Recommendation no. 193, which the author considers to form part of Public International Cooperative Law. He aims to study the way they have been interpreted by lawmakers and to what extent their implementation has effectively served to transition from informal to formal. Although there are a growing number of players in informal economies across the world, the author does not have doubts as to the effectiveness of the law in formalising these economies. It is also important to note that the complex nature of cooperatives should temper enthusiasm concerning the potential of solving economic, social and human problems related to informal economies in this manner.
Recibido: 18 abril 2013
Aceptado: 12 junio 2013
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