Cover -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Table of Contents -- List of Abbreviations -- Foreword -- Introduction -- Objectives and audience of the guide -- A. Purpose of this guide -- B. Who is this guide for? -- C. How can this guide be used? -- Part 1: National tripartite social dialogue: Processes and institutions -- I: Definitions -- A. Social dialogue -- B. Tripartism -- C. Other meanings of "tripartism" -- D. Tripartism "plus" -- Bipartism and collective bargaining -- F. Specific case: The public sector - the government as employer -- II: Mandate and possible outcomes of national tripartite social dialogue -- A. Introduction -- B. Exchange of information -- C. Consultations -- D. Negotiations leading to agreements -- III: Preconditions for successful national tripartite social dialogue -- A. Democratic foundations and freedom of association -- B. Strong, independent and representativesocial partners -- C. Political will and commitment to engage in social dialogue -- D. Appropriate institutional support -- IV: Benefits of national tripartite social dialogue -- A. Democracy, decent work and national development -- B. Legitimacy and ownership of public policies -- C. Quality of public policies' formulation and implementation -- D. Conflict prevention and social peace -- E. Special benefits for workers and employers -- V: Possible objections to national tripartite social dialogue -- A. Loss of freedom of action -- B. Dilution of parliament's role -- C. Creation of internal tensions within government -- D. Work-loading and time-consuming process -- E. Decline in the representativity of workers' and employers' organizations -- VI: Issues for tripartite social dialogue and work-planning process -- A. A checklist of topics for tripartite social dialogue -- B. Setting the agenda -- C. The cycle of social dialogue.

VII: Participants in national tripartite social dialogue -- A. The government -- B. Social partners: Workers' and employers' organizations -- C. Other experts -- D. Who should represent their organizations? -- E. Promoting gender balance -- F. Appendix: Workers' and employers' organizations -- VIII: Legal and institutional frameworkfor tripartite social dialogue -- A. Founding instruments of tripartite institutions -- B. Missions and mandate of tripartiteinstitutions -- C. Relationship with the government -- D. Components of the structure -- E. Frequency of the meetings -- F. Financing tripartism -- G. Size -- H. Communication and confidentiality -- IX: International labour standards and social dialogue -- A. Promotion of tripartite consultations in major ILO instruments -- B. The Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144) -- X. How can the International Labour Office help? -- A. ILO, tripartism and social dialogue -- B. Technical assistance, capacity building and training activities -- C. Technical assistance regarding ILO Convention No. 144 -- Annex: Tripartite social dialogue at the regional level -- A. Subnational level (provincial, state,local levels) -- B. International level -- Part 2: National tripartite social dialogue:Thematic issues -- I: The role of social dialogue in times of economic crisis -- II: Social dialogue and political transition -- III: Social dialogue and employment policies -- IV: Social dialogue and wages -- V: Social dialogue and social security -- VI: Social dialogue and the informal economy -- VII: Social dialogue and gender equality -- VIII: Social dialogue and fundamental rightsat work -- IX: Social dialogue and the transition to agreen economy -- X: Social dialogue and labour law -- Appendix -- Appendix I: Creation of a tripartite institution: Proposed rules ofprocedure.

Appendix II: Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144).