The effect of the International Labour Standards in Agriculture on the Regulation of Working Conditions of Estonian Rural Workers between the World Wars
Pihlamagi, M.
Acta Historica Tallinnensia 24(1): 109-132
2018
ISSN/ISBN: 1406-2925 DOI: 10.3176/hist.2018.1.06Document Number: 355211
This article deals with the ILO standards in agriculture and analyses their effect on Estonian legislative and social policy for improving the working conditions of Estonian rural workers. The ILO standards developed between the world wars covered mainly industrial workers, whereas there were few conventions on the working conditions in other areas (agriculture, maritime industry). Only seven conventions concerning the agricultural workers (protection of child labour, the right of association, social security) were adopted by ILO labour conferences between the two world wars. Despite the fact that these conventions made up a small proportion (10%) of the total number of ILO conventions (67) and their ratification rate was more than modest, they had a direct impact on government social policies of the Member States, including Estonia, although it ratified out of seven only three conventions in agriculture. The decisions to ratify the conventions on the protection of child labour, the right of association and occupational accident insurance were influenced by the fact that the provisions of these conventions were largely dealt with in Estonian national legislation. On the other hand, being a newcomer among the ILO Member States Estonia tried to fulfil keenly its membership obligations. Like other Member States, Estonia was not prepared to ratify all ILO conventions on agriculture, especially the social security conventions adopted during the global economic crisis. Nevertheless, these like ILO recommendations affected social policy in the second half of the 1930s. In particular, this was expressed by the intention to introduce a number of new types of social security (sickness, old-age, invalidity, survivors' insurance) to agricultural workers and the drafting of relevant laws. True, between the two world wars, these drafts did not become law. Therefore, the implementation of occupational accident insurance for agricultural workers is even more greatly appreciated as it covered medical expenses, lost wages during the period of incapacity for work and death benefit. It was really important in the life of agricultural workers allowing them to maintain the standard of living for themselves and their family members. On the other hand, accident insurance contributed to employers' implementation of measures to prevent accidents at work. A new development in the accident insurance of 1936 was the combination of private and public systems, which, besides insured persons, significantly affected also the economic risks of employers and contributed to the efficacy of the occupational accident insurance system. Government efforts to improve the living conditions of agricultural workers following ILO recommendations are also important. The Estonian Government did even more: since 1938 it started to build, by using public finances, new homes for agricultural workers, especially for large families in the rural areas where the demand for labour was high. In this way, the government tried to carry out two tasks, that is to meet labour market needs in agriculture and to improve the living conditions of agricultural workers. Improvement of the working conditions of agricultural workers by law to meet international standards was important, as the rural workers were less organized than the industrial workers, and therefore their pressure on employers to improve their working conditions was weaker. The international standards were also followed because Estonia did not want to become the state being neglected: since 1926 all ILO Member States, including Estonia, had to submit an annual report on fulfilling the requirements of the ILO Conventions and Recommendations. On the other hand, the life itself - the human considerations and the need to guarantee the labour for a leading branch of economy, agriculture - forced the government to improve the working conditions of agricultural workers in line with international standards.