The ILO supervisory bodies have developed principles regarding the voluntary character of collective bargaining, the promotion of voluntary collective bargaining and the recognition of trade unions for the purpose of collective bargaining.
Measures appropriate to national conditions shall be taken, where necessary, to encourage and promote the full development and utilisation of machinery for voluntary negotiation between employers or employers' organisations and workers' organisations, with a view to the regulation of terms and conditions of employment by means of collective agreements.