Preamble
The General Conference of the International Labour Organisation,
Having been convened at Genoa by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office on the 15 June 1920, and
Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with regard to the application to seamen of the Convention drafted at Washington, last November, limiting the hours of work in all industrial undertakings, including transport by sea and, under conditions to be determined, transport by inland waterways, to eight hours in the day and forty-eight in the week; consequential effects as regards manning and the regulations relating to accommodation and health on board ship, which is the first item in the agenda for the Genoa meeting of the Conference, and
Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of a Recommendation,
adopts the following Recommendation, which may be cited as the Hours of Work (Inland Navigation) Recommendation, 1920, to be submitted to the Members of the International Labour Organisation for consideration with a view to effect being given to it by national legislation or otherwise, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation:
In view of the declaration in the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation that all industrial communities should endeavour to adopt, so far as their special circumstances will permit, " an eight hours' day or a forty-eight hours' week as the standard to be aimed at where it has not already been attained ", the International Labour Conference recommends:
I
That each Member of the International Labour Organisation should, if it has not already done so, enact legislation limiting in the direction of the above declaration in the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation the hours of work of workers employed in inland navigation, with such special provisions as may be necessary to meet the climatic and industrial conditions peculiar to inland navigation in each country, and after consultation with the organisations of employers and the organisations of workers concerned.
II
That those Members of the International Labour Organisation whose territories are riparian to waterways which are used in common by their boats should enter into agreements for limiting in the direction of the aforesaid declaration, the hours of work of persons employed in inland navigation on such waterways, after consultation with the organisations of employers and the organisations of workers concerned.
III
That such national legislation and such agreements between riparian countries should follow as far as possible the general lines of the Convention concerning hours of work adopted by the International Labour Conference at Washington, with such exceptions as may be necessary for meeting the climatic or other special conditions of the countries concerned.
IV
That, in the application of this Recommendation, each Member of the International Labour Organisation should determine for itself, after consultation with the organisations of employers and the organisations of workers concerned what is inland navigation as distinguished from maritime navigation, and should communicate its determination to the International Labour Office.
V
That each Member of the International Labour Organisation should report to the International Labour Office, within two years after the adjournment of the Genoa Conference, the progress which it has made in the direction of this Recommendation.
