The International Training Centre of the ILO has announced the launch of its second Summer School on Social Dialogue, focusing this year on living wages. The program, supported by the French Ministry of Labour and Solidarity, will take place from 22 to 24 September 2026 in Turin, Italy, with applications open until 7 September.
The initiative comes at a time when more than half of the global workforce consists of wage earners, yet many still struggle to earn enough for a decent standard of living. The course aims to explore how structured social dialogue and collective bargaining can help translate living wage principles into practical wage-setting systems, particularly in sectors and regions affected by persistent low pay and in-work poverty.
The training program will bring together employers’ representatives, workers’ organizations, policymakers, human resource professionals, sustainability experts, wage-setting institutions, and researchers working in industrial relations and human rights. Participants will examine how tripartite social dialogue can balance workers’ needs with economic realities while improving fairness in wage systems.
Designed as an interactive learning experience, the Summer School will combine lectures, comparative case studies, workshops, and expert discussions. It will also include a dedicated research segment where selected contributors will present innovative studies on wage policies, social dialogue mechanisms, and living wage frameworks.
By focusing on collaboration between governments, employers, and workers, the program aims to strengthen global understanding of how fair wage systems can be implemented in practice and how policy tools can reduce wage inequality while improving working conditions.
