Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Repetition

Article 3 of the Convention. Right of organizations to organize their administration and activities and to formulate their programmes. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted that, according to the Government, the Law on public associations of 2007 is applicable to trade unions, whereas section 2 of that legislation states that this Law is not applicable to trade unions, the establishment and activities of which are regulated by a separate legislation. The Committee requests the Government to provide clarifications regarding the application of the Law on public associations to trade unions.

Furthermore, in its previous comments, the Committee has noted that sections 25 and 34 of the Law on public associations provide that the registering authorities have a right to send its representatives to participate in activities (events) organized by public associations. The Committee considers that problems of compatibility with the Convention arise when the legislation authorizes public authorities to be present at events organized by trade unions. The Committee therefore requests the Government to repeal the abovementioned provisions of the Law on public associations.

Right of organizations freely to organize their activities and to formulate their programmes. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted that, according to section 211(2) of the Labour Code of 1997, a decision to declare a strike should be taken by a meeting of workers or of an appropriate workers’ representative body. Such a decision should be adopted by not less than two-thirds of those present at the meeting (representative body) or two-thirds of the delegates to the conference of workers’ representatives, subject to a quorum of more than half of all members of the workforce (representative body) being present at the meeting (or two-thirds of delegates present at the conference). The Committee once again requests the Government to amend section 211(2) of the Labour Code so as to lower this requirement and so as to ensure that account is taken only of the votes cast in determining the outcome of a strike ballot.

Furthermore, the Committee had noted that section 211(3) of the Labour Code imposes the obligation to indicate, in the strike notice, its possible duration and had requested the Government to indicate whether workers or their organizations can declare a strike for an indefinite period of time. The Committee once again requests the Government to indicate whether workers or their organizations can declare a strike for an indefinite period of time.

Finally, the Committee had further noted that according to section 211(4) of the Labour Code, right to strike can be restricted in cases where it might endanger the life and health of individuals or the security and defence capacity of the State and that such restrictions are subject to the provisions of the legislation in force. While noting that restrictions of the right to strike seem to be limited to the essential services in the strict sense of the term, the Committee requests the Government to provide a list of services where the right to strike is restricted or prohibited and to indicate the relevant legislative provisions. Furthermore, the Committee requests the Government to indicate, in its next report, whether compensatory guarantees are given to workers deprived of their right to strike and to indicate the applicable legislative provisions.

Criminal Code. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted that, under section 160 of the Criminal Code, a violation of procedure for organizing and carrying out meetings, demonstrations and pickets is sanctioned by a fine of up to 2,000 minimum salaries or of up to two years’ imprisonment. The Committee once again recalls that no penal sanction should be imposed against a worker for having carried out a peaceful strike and therefore measures of imprisonment should not be imposed on any account. Such sanctions could be envisaged only where, during a strike, violence against persons or property or other serious infringements of rights have been committed, and can be imposed pursuant to legislation punishing such acts. Nevertheless, even in the absence of violence, if the strike modalities had the effect of making the strike illegitimate, proportionate disciplinary sanctions may be imposed against strikers. In these circumstances, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether trade unionists have been sanctioned under section 160 of the Criminal Code for exercising legitimate trade union activities, such as strikes and meetings and to take the necessary measures in order to amend its legislation so as to bring it into conformity with the abovementioned principle.