Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1996, published 85th ILC session (1997)

Article 1(c) and (d) of the Convention. In comments made for a number of years, the Committee has referred to sections 128, 130 and 134 of the 1976 Merchant Shipping Act under which various breaches of labour discipline are punishable with imprisonment (involving an obligation to work) and deserting seamen may be forcibly returned on board ship, and sections 72 and 73 of the Industrial Relations Act, under which participation in a strike is punishable with imprisonment, involving an obligation to perform labour, contrary to Article 1(c) and (d) of the Convention. The Committee notes that in a report received on 16 June 1994, the Government stated that while there had been no change in the legislation to fully comply with the Convention, it was expected that with a new Government having come into power in August 1992, there would be a review and reappraisal. However, in its last report, received on 5 September 1995, the Government has supplied no information concerning measures that may have been taken to amend the legislation at issue. In the circumstances, the Committee hopes that the necessary measures will at last be taken, and that the Government will soon be in a position to report concrete action to amend or repeal the above-mentioned provisions.

The Committee is once more addressing a more detailed request on the matter directly to the Government.