Adoption: Geneva, 6th ILC session (05 Jul 1924)
[Withdrawn instrument - By decision of the International Labour Conference at its 92nd Session (2004)]
Whereas in adopting at its First Session, held at Washington, a Convention on hours of work, the General Conference of the International Labour Organisation had as one of its principal aims to secure for workers, beyond the necessary hours for sleep, an adequate period during which such workers could do as they please, or, in other words, an adequate period of spare time; and
Whereas during such spare time workers have the opportunity of developing freely, according to their individual tastes, their physical, intellectual and moral powers, and such development is of great value from the point of view of the progress of civilisation; and
Whereas a well-directed use of this spare time, by affording to the worker the means for pursuing more varied interests, and by securing relaxation from the strain placed upon him by his ordinary work, may even increase the productive capacity of the worker and increase his output, and may thus help to obtain a maximum of efficiency from the eight-hour day; and
Whereas while giving full weight to the customs prevalent in the different countries and to local circumstances, it may nevertheless be useful to lay down the principles and methods which at the present time seem generally best adapted to secure the best use of periods of spare time, and it may also be instructive to make known for the benefit of all countries what has been done in this direction; and
Whereas the value of this information is particularly great at the moment when the ratification of the Convention on hours of work is being considered by the Members of the International Labour Organisation;
The General Conference makes the recommendations hereinafter appearing:
I. Preservation of Spare Time
Whereas it is agreed that in countries where limitations have been placed on hours of work by law, by collective agreement or otherwise, if all the benefits which may be expected from such measures are to be secured both for the wage earners and for the community, steps must be taken to ensure that the workers shall have the undiminished enjoyment of the hours of spare time so secured to them as aforesaid; and
Whereas it is important that, on the one hand, the workers should fully appreciate the value of the periods of spare time which have been secured to them and should do their utmost, in all circumstances, to prevent this spare time from being encroached upon, and, on the other hand, that employers should always aim at establishing wages corresponding sufficiently with the needs of the workers to make it unnecessary for them to have recourse during their periods of spare time to additional hours of paid work; and
Whereas prohibitions against the continuance of paid work in their own occupation, for the same or another employer, in excess of the legal working day, are recognised as being difficult to enforce, and may even, at times, seem to infringe the workers' right of using their periods of spare time as they choose, the Conference nevertheless considers that attention should be drawn to the steps which have been taken in this direction in a number of countries;
The Conference recommends that Governments should encourage and facilitate the conclusion of collective agreements which will ensure a normal standard of living to workers in exchange for the legal hours of work, and which will determine, by voluntary agreement between employers and workers, the measures to be taken to prevent workers from having recourse to additional paid work.
And whereas it is agreed that every facility should be given to the workers to enable them to make the best use of their periods of spare time so secured to them as aforesaid, the Conference recommends:
- (a) that each Member, whilst having due regard to the requirements of different industries, local customs, and the varying capacities and habits of the different kinds of workers, should consider the means of so arranging the working day as to make the periods of spare time as continuous as possible;
- (b) that by means of a well-conceived transport system and by affording special facilities in regard to fares and timetables, workers should be enabled to reduce to the minimum the time spent in travelling between their homes and their work, and that employers' and workers' organisations should be extensively consulted by public transport authorities or private transport undertakings as to the best means of securing such a system.
II. Spare Time and Social Hygiene
Whereas the utilisation of the workers' periods of spare time cannot be separated from the general measures adopted by the community for promoting the health and welfare of all classes of society, the Conference, without attempting to examine in detail each of the great welfare problems, the solution of which would contribute to improving the workers' status, recommends to the Members:
- (a) the encouragement of individual hygiene by the provision of public baths, swimming pools, etc.;
- (b) legislative or private action against the misuse of alcohol, against tuberculosis, venereal disease and gambling.
III. Housing Policy
Whereas it is of advantage to the workers and to the whole community to encourage everything tending to the harmonious development of the workers' family life; and
Whereas the most effective means of protecting the workers from the aforesaid dangers is to place within their reach a proper home;
The Conference recommends the increase in number, if necessary in co-operation with the national or local authorities concerned, of healthy dwellings at low rentals in garden cities or urban communities, under proper conditions of health and comfort.
IV. Institutions for the Utilisation of Spare Time
1. Without attempting to differentiate between the innumerable institutions which afford to the workers opportunities for the free exercise of their personal tastes, the development of which is dependent on the manners and customs of each country or district, the Conference nevertheless draws the attention of the Members to the necessity of avoiding misplaced activities resulting from the establishment of institutions not called for by some well-defined need. The Conference desires to emphasise the importance of taking into account in the establishment and development of these institutions, the desires, the tastes and the special requirements of the workers for whose use they are designed. - 2. At the same time, among the institutions which may both assist full and harmonious development of the individual and of the family and contribute to the general progress of the community, the Conference recommends those schemes which have for their object:
- (a) the improvement of the workers' domestic economy and family life (gardens, allotments, poultry keeping, etc.) which combine the benefits of recreation with the feeling that some addition, however slight, is being made to the family resources;
- (b) the development of the physical health and strength of the workers by means of games and sports which enable young workers who are working under the highly specialised conditions prevalent in modern industry to give free play to their energies in a manner which encourages initiative and the spirit of emulation;
- (c) the extension of technical, domestic and general education (libraries, reading-rooms, lectures, technical and general courses, etc.) which meets one of the workers' most keenly felt needs and affords the best means of progress to industrial communities.
3. The Conference further recommends that Members should encourage these forms of activity by the grant of subventions to organisations concerned with the moral, intellectual and physical development of the workers.
V. Free Use of Institutions and Co-ordination of Local Action
Whereas for many years past the workers in the great industrial countries have always sought to ensure that they may live their lives outside the factory or workshop in complete freedom and independence, and they particularly resent any outside interference in their private affairs, and this feeling is so strong as to provoke opposition to any attempts to deal, either nationally or internationally, with the question of the use of spare time for fear that it may possibly restrain their liberty; and
Whereas the Conference, while expressing appreciation of the motives which have led to the creation of institutions for the encouragement of the wise use of the spare time of the workers, suggests that Members should draw the attention of the promoters of such institutions to the necessity of safeguarding the individual freedom of the workers against any system or scheme which has any tendency towards compelling the workers directly or indirectly to use any particular institution; and
Whereas the most practical and successful institutions are those which have been started and developed by the beneficiaries themselves, the Conference, while recognising that in many cases where public authorities or employers lend financial or other assistance for the encouragement of allotments, games or educational institutions, and consequently have a legitimate claim to take part in their management, recommends that every care should be taken to avoid any encroachment on the liberty of those for whose use such institutions are intended.
While not contemplating any systematic organisation of spare time occupations, but having in mind a number of successful efforts made to assist them, the Conference further recommends that each Member should consider the possibility of promoting the formation of district or local committees, composed of representatives of the public authorities, of employers' and workers' organisations, and of co-operative associations, for co-ordinating and harmonising the activities of the various institutions providing means of recreation.
The Conference further recommends to the Members that an active and effective propaganda should be undertaken in each country for the purpose of educating opinion in favour of the proper use of the spare time of the workers.
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