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The Committee notes the Government’s report. In its previous observation, the Committee noted the comments of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU, now ITUC – International Trade Union Confederation) which referred largely to legislative issues already addressed by the Committee and restrictions on trade union rights, particularly acts of violence by the police against trade unionists. In its reply, the Government states that, in the cases of strike action referred to by the ICFTU where security forces were obliged to intervene (forestry sector, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the dispute has been brought to an end through conciliation. The Committee recalls that strikes are one of the essential means available to workers and their organizations for the promotion and defence of their economic and social interests and trusts that in the future the Government will ensure that recourse to law enforcement only occurs in situations of a serious nature in which public order is seriously threatened.

The Committee notes the comments of the ITUC of 28 August 2007 which refer to the arrest and arbitrary imprisonment of representatives of the Free Trade Union Confederation of Gabon (CGSL) over recent years. The Committee also notes the communication from the Trade Union Congress of Gabon (CSG) dated 25 September 2007, which states that the problematic issue of trade union representation has been the object of intensive ILO technical assistance to Gabon, but that at present the Government refuses to address the issue. The CSG states that the designation of the most representative organizations is carried out in violation of the Convention and requests that professional elections be held. The Committee asks the Government to reply to the comments made by the ITUC and the CSG in its next report.