Definitive Report - REPORT_NO230, November 1983

1. 57. In a communication of 14 May 1983, the World Federation of Teachers' Unions submitted a complaint of violations of trade union rights in Greece. The Government replied in a letter of 2 June 1983.
2. 58. Greece has ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. The complainant's allegations

1. 59. In its communication of 14 May 1983, the World Federation of Teachers' Unions alleges that the employers in private education in Greece summoned the leaders of the union of private-school teachers to appear before the Athens court on 16 May 1983, requesting that these leaders should be imprisoned for having declared a strike.

B. The Government's reply

1. 60. The Government, in its communication of 2 June 1983, states that under the new Act (No. 1264) of 1982, the right to strike is fully guaranteed, so that there is no possibility whatsoever of infringing the free exercise of this right in any way. It recalls that sections 19 and the subsequent sections of the Act deal with the workers' right to strike in such clear and precise terms that there can be no misunderstanding as to their interpretation. Furthermore, the Government goes on to say that section 23 of the Act provides for sanctions that may be imposed against those employers or their representatives who try to impede a strike or go against any decision of a trade union organisation intending to declare a strike. On the other hand, no provision is made for sanctions to be taken against trade unionists in the case of a strike. The Government declares that the fear that the strikers might be penalised is unfounded and the allegations contained in the complainant's communication are therefore objectively inexact.

C. The Committee's conclusions

1. 61. The Committee notes that the Government categorically denies the complainant's allegations according to which the trade unionists in private education were in danger of being sentenced to imprisonment for having declared a strike and that the Government states that Act No. 1264 of 1982 on the democratisation of the trade union movement and protection of trade union freedoms guarantees the right to strike and does not provide for any sanctions to be taken against strikers.
2. 62. Having examined the content of Act No. 1264 of 1982, the Committee observes that, as far as the private-school teachers' right to strike is concerned, this legislation does not call into question the principles of freedom of association.
3. 63. Furthermore, the Committee notes that, although the complainant has been invited to do so, it has not provided any additional information in support of its complaint.