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

The Committee notes the information provided in the Government's latest report.

1. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the Government's indication that the Trade Union Recognition Bill, which is to contain provisions establishing objective, pre-established and precise criteria for determining the most representative union for collective bargaining purposes, was still under consideration. The Committee notes from the Government's latest report that the Bill was tabled in Parliament but was not taken through all the stages because the Guyana Trade union Congress objected to a section concerning dispute settlement. The Committee once again expresses the firm hope that this Bill will be adopted in the near future and that it will contain the necessary safeguards for an objective determination of the exclusive bargaining agent in a given unit. It requests the Government to indicate the progress made in this regard in its next report.

2. As concerns its previous comment in respect of the need to amend the Public Utility Undertakings and Public Health Services Arbitration Act, chapter 54:01, so that compulsory arbitration in respect of strikes is only used for essential services in the strict sense of the term, the Committee notes from the Government's latest report that the industrial disputes subcommittee of the standing tripartite committee has been mandated to recommend changes to this Act. The Committee once again trusts that measures will be taken in the near future to ensure that compulsory arbitration is only used in respect of services whose interruption would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the whole or part of the population and requests the Government to indicate, in its next report, the progress made in this regard.