Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

The Committee takes note of the information provided by the Government.

Article 4 of the Convention. With regard to its previous request for information on measures taken to ensure adequate protection of public employees against acts of anti-union discrimination, the Committee notes from the Government’s report that it has worked out proposals for a new Employment Bill consolidating existing legislation in this field. The Bill is presently at the drafting stage and is expected to enter the legislative branches later in 2004. Proposals included in the Bill comprise: (a) strengthening the existing protection against action short of dismissal for trade union related reasons; (b) giving employees a new right to complain to the Employment Tribunal if they are subjected to dismissal or discriminatory treatment short of dismissal for taking lawfully organized, official industrial action lasting up to four weeks; (c) giving the Employment Tribunal powers to order re-employment; (d) providing workers with a right to be accompanied at a disciplinary or grievance hearing by a trade union representative; (e) providing members of independent unions with a clear right to use their union’s services; and (f) prohibiting employers from offering individualized contracts containing preconditions or inducements to relinquish union representation. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of steps taken for the adoption of the Bill.

Article 7. With regard to its previous request for information concerning collective bargaining in respect of certain categories of manual and non-manual workers, the Committee takes note of the information provided by the Government on the various collective agreements and negotiating structures which apply to different categories of manual and non-manual workers.