Report in which the committee requests to be kept informed of development - Report No 204, November 1980

1. 262. The Committee already examined this case at its meeting in May 1980, when it presented an interim report to the Governing Body. Since then the Government has sent in additional information in a communication dated 5 September 1980.
2. 263. Greece has ratified both 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. Previous examination of the case

1. 264. The complaints which were lodged in the present case refer mainly to the dismissal of trade unionists from the Elefsina shipyard and from the Mining, Industrial and Shipping Company at Mantoudi, on the island of Eobe, and allegations made by the Mineworkers' Federation (OME) concerning the appointment by court decision of union executive Committees which the workers were not allowed to elect themselves aid the dissolution of two trade unions: the Technical workers' Union and the Technicians' Union.
2. 265. At its meeting in May 1980, the Governing Body, on the recommendation of the Committee, drew the attention of the Government and the employers concerned to the principles relating to the protection of trade union officials against anti-union discrimination and expressed the hope that measures would be taken to improve the protection of trade union officials. The Governing Body also requested the Government to furnish its observations with respect to the allegations concerning the appointment by court decision of the three successive trade union executive Committees and the dissolution of the two trade unions to which the Mineworkers' Federation (OME) referred.

B. The Government's reply

1. 266. In its communication of 5 September 1980 the Government sets forth its observations on the complaint lodged by the OME and points out that the appointment by court decision of interim executive Committees of the Technical Workers' Union and the Technicians' Union of Mantoudi since 1978 were due to the initiative of the members of these unions themselves. The Government explains that these organisations were in fact rival unions and that after every election of a trade union Committee, the other union would try to obtain the annulment of the elections from the court, which then proceeded to the appointment of an interim Committee. The Government affirms that the unions in question have not been dissolved and that, on the contrary, they have been operating since 1979 with their elected Committees.
2. 267. As regards the dismissal of trade unionists in the Mining, Industrial and Shipping Company of Mantoudi, the Government states that an appeal has been filed by the labour inspection department of the island Eobe with the Public Prosecutor of Chalcis. The verdict of the Court of Summary Jurisdiction on the director of the company, Mr. Mavrides, is expected to be given on 15 November 1980.

C. Conclusions of the Committee

1. 268. The Committee notes that the appointment by court decision of interim executive Committees of the two trade unions concerned occurred before 1978 and that the Committee which have been operating since 1979 were effected in the normal manner.
2. 269. As concerns the dismissals in the Mining, Industrial and Shipping Company of Mantoudi, the Committee notes with interest that the labour inspection department of the island of Eobe has filed legal action against the director of this company with the Court of Summary Jurisdiction at Chalcis. The Committee is of the opinion that it would be useful to be informed of the results of this legal action.