Effect given to the recommendations of the committee and the Governing Body - Report No 323, November 2000

Effect given to the recommendations of the Committee and the Governing Body

1. 84. During its last examination of this case at its November 1999 meeting concerning a labour dispute within the National Electricity Company of Senegal (SENELEC), which resulted in the arrest of strikers following a general power cut that took place in July 1998 and the dismissal of many members of the Single Trade Union of Electricity Workers (SUTELEC), the Committee had requested the Government to take measures to redress the situation [see 318th Report, paras. 431-462]. In particular, it had requested the Government to keep it informed: (1) of the outcome of the negotiations held between SUTELEC and SENELEC; (2) to provide SENELEC workers with appropriate protection to compensate them for the restrictions placed on the right to strike of workers in the electricity sector; such protection might take the form of adequate, impartial and speedy conciliation and arbitration procedures; (3) to take measures to ensure that the SUTELEC union members and officials who were dismissed following incidents that took place in July 1998 were offered reinstatement in their posts without loss of pay. At its May-June 2000 meeting, the Committee on Freedom of Association once again requested the Government to keep it informed of the effect given to its recommendations in this case [see 321st Report, para. 94].
2. 85. At the June session of the International Labour Conference, the Minister of Labour of Senegal had a meeting with the Chief of the Freedom of Association Branch of the ILO. He stated that his Government was concerned by the matter and that he himself had met with the trade union officials who had gone on strike and with the head of the enterprise concerned on several occasions. He confirmed that a process of compromise had been initiated and that he was exploring possible solutions; as soon as he had a clear picture of the direction in which the solution to the dispute was moving, he would inform the Committee of the situation.
3. 86. The Committee takes note of this information which emphasizes the developments to be expected within the framework of the transition towards democracy. The Committee reminds the Government of the importance of adopting measures including compensatory guarantees for workers in the electricity sector whose right to strike is limited. It once again requests the Government to obtain the reinstatement in their posts of the SUTELEC union activists and officials who were dismissed following the labour dispute of July 1998. It requests the Government to keep it informed of measures taken in this respect.