Which of the following are the 'fundamental' labour standards laid down by the International Labour Organisation? 1. Elimination of child labour 2. Payment of a minimum wage 3. The right to collective bargaining 4. Abolition of forced labor

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998) establishes four core, or 'fundamental', categories of labour standards. These are considered universal and applicable to all member states, regardless of their level of economic development. The principles listed in the question that fall under this declaration are the elimination of child labour, the right to collective bargaining (as part of freedom of association), and the abolition of forced labour. The fourth fundamental principle, not listed as an option, is the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. Payment of a minimum wage, while addressed in other ILO conventions, is not classified as one of these four fundamental principles.

A, B, and D: These options are incorrect because they all include 'Payment of a minimum wage'. While the ILO promotes minimum wage policies (e.g., Convention C131), it is not one of the four universally-binding fundamental principles.

1. International Labour Organisation (ILO). (1998). ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Geneva: International Labour Office. Section 2 of the declaration outlines the four principles: "(a) freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; (b) the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; (c) the effective abolition of child labour; and (d) the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation." Available at: https://www.ilo.org/declaration/thedeclaration/textdeclaration/lang--en/index.htm

2. Alston, P. (2004). 'Core Labour Standards' and the Transformation of the International Labour Rights Regime. European Journal of International Law, 15(3), 457–521. Page 460 explicitly lists the four core standards as "freedom of association and collective bargaining, the elimination of forced labour, the abolition of child labour, and the elimination of discrimination in employment." DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/15.3.457

3. Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR). Global Labor Standards. The courseware and resources consistently define the ILO's core labor standards based on the 1998 Declaration, identifying the same four categories and distinguishing them from other important standards like minimum wage or occupational safety. (See resources on the ILO at https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/).