Freedom of Association League - ILO Convention 87
Continent/ Country |
ILO Con.87 ratified? |
Infringements 1994 - 1997 |
Card |
Foul |
|
| AFRICA | |||||
| Algeria | Yes | Trade unionists killed and injured, and singled out for attack. | Red | 1997.General secretary of UGTA murdered after death threats | |
| Ethiopia | Yes | Harassment of union - court order suspending activities, union headquarters raided. Union leader arrested and shackled. Teachers harassed. Unionists flee country after threats. | Yellow | 1997: Head of Ethiopian teachers association shot. | |
| Nigeria | Yes | Government arrested and imprisoned oil trade union leaders. Unions and Nigeria Labour Congress run by administrator, and laws interfere in trade union affairs. | Red | 1997. National centre and other trade unions unable to hold free elections | New government leader releases two trade union leaders in 1998. |
| Sudan | No | Right to organise independent trade union prohibited. Continual arrests of 100s of TUs. Fear of torture. | Red | 94. Abd el Moneim Rahma killed. 95. Trade unionists tortured |
|
| Swaziland | Yes | Draconian industrial relations act criminalises industrial relations. Trade unionists attacked and imprisoned, and intimidated. Massive arrests of TUs. | Red | 94. Worker killed during strike 95. Kidnap and attempted murder of Jan Sithole, SFTU |
|
| Zimbabwe | No | Right to strike restricted. Public servants not allowed to join unions. Law undermines collective bargaining. 1000s of workers sacked during strike. | Yellow | 97. Leader of ZCTU beaten unconscious |
| Country | ILO Con.87 ratified ? | Infringements 1994 - 1997 | Card | Foul |
|
| ASIA | |||||
| Australia | Yes | New federal and state legislation undermine ability of unions to protect members. Hiring of mercenaries to break power of dock workers. | Yellow | 97. Hiring of mercenaries to break power of unions | |
| Burma | Yes | No trade union rights whatsoever. Unions operate in exile, or underground in fear of torture & arrest. Laws forbid criticising of state policies. | Red | 97.Trade unionist arrested & accused of high treason | |
| China | No | Severe repression of independent unions. Only state-controlled union can exist. Imprisonment or re-education through labour for any independent trade unionist. | Red | 96. 20 year prison sentence for members of WAF (Workers Autonomous Federations) | |
| Indonesia | Yes - May 1998 | Repression of SBSI - Indonesia's independent trade union, and intimidation and arrest of its leaders. Workers blacklisted for being members of SBSI. Laws restrict TU rights. | Red | 94. Murder of Titi Sugiarti - trade union
activist. 97."Show trial" of Muchtar Pakpahan |
May 98. Pakpahan released after Suharto steps down. Future legitimisation of SBSI? |
| Pakistan | Yes | Rights to organise and bargain collectively very restricted. No unions allowed in EPZs. Intimidation and violence against workers forming unions. | Red | 95. Workers beaten, tortured and detained by authorities | |
| Turkey | Yes | Highly restrictive labour laws stem from military dictatorship. Workers attacked by police for forming unions, and held incommunicado at police stations. Public servants unions cannot bargain collectively or strike. | Yellow | 96. 3 people killed during May Day Rally | 97. Slight improvement in laws relating to trade unions. |
| Country | ILO Con.87 ratified? | Infringements 1994 - 1997 | Card | Foul |
|
| LATIN | AMERICA | ||||
| Argentina | Yes | Legislation undermines TU rights. Workers attacked with tear gas, and detained. More reforms scrap collective pay deals. | Yellow | 97. Theresa Rodriguez died when police attack strikers | |
| Colombia | Yes | Terrible violence and killings against trade unionists. 100s killed, threatened and intimidated. 1000s have to flee country. Strong anti-union culture. | Red | 94: 176 TUs killed 95: 156 killed 96:80 killed 97: 156 killed |
|
| Costa Rica | Yes | Trade unions under sustained attack from employers and government. Union busting measures. Firing and harassment of union members, particularly among banana workers. | Red | 96. Police violently attack striking workers | |
| Guatemala | Yes | Systematic repression against trade unions, particularly in EPZs. Threats by death squads. Workers who defend rights likely to be sacked, or attacked. | Red | 94. Several trade unionists murdered | Violence against union activists decreased slightly in 1997 |
| Mexico | Yes | Fierce resistance to attempts by workers to organise independently. Intimidation of workers, legal restrictions. Problems for unions in maquiladoras (EPZs). | Yellow | 95. Secretary general of union physically assaulted. | Violence against union activists decreased slightly in 1997 |
| United States | No | Right to strike and to organise not adequately protected by law.1 in 10 workers sacked for trying to organise union. 50% of employers threatened to close plants where tried to organise. | Yellow | 97. Women at New Otani Hotels spied on for trying to form unions |
| Country | ILO Con.87 ratified? | Infringements 1994 - 1997 | Card | Foul |
|
| EUROPE | |||||
| Belarus | Yes | Authorities discriminate against unions. Decrees ban activities of independent trade unions, and police invade headquarters. Independent trade unionists paid less, and can be fired. | Red | ||
| Bulgaria | Yes | Government hostile to unions, makes every attempt to undermine trade union centres. | Yellow | ||
| Germany | Yes | Public servants, with civil service status, including teachers, not allowed to go on strike. | Yellow | ||
| Kosovo | Not ILO member | Law authorises mass dismissals of Albanians from public sector. Independent unions discriminated against. Unionists tried for "endangering territorial integrity". Union members tortured during interrogation. | Red | 96. Union member committed suicide after police torture | |
| Serbia | Not ILO member | Independent trade unionists among principal victims of repression. Official union monopolises collective bargaining. Harsh new laws give employers unlimited powers. | Yellow | ||
| United Kingdom | Yes | Previous government one of most obsessively anti-union for industrialised world. Trade union members at disadvantage in employment. Restrictions on right to strike. Unions de-recognised. | Yellow | 97. New Labour government lifted ban on GCHQ union. 98 Gov.White Paper on Fairness at Work |
| Country | ILO Con.87 ratified? | Infringements 1994 - 1997 | Card | Foul | Improvements |
| MIDDLE EAST | |||||
| Iran | No | Government controlled union - aim of unions to spread Islamic culture. Where workers do strike, armed police break up protests. | Red | 97. Armed police broke up protest outside oil ministry | |
| Lebanon | No | Government interference in union affairs. Public sector workers prohibited from joining unions. | Yellow | 96. Workers beaten up during protests | |
| Saudi Arabia | No | Trade unions and collective bargaining prohibited. 50-60% of workers are migrants who do not have labour rights. Wages set according to nationality. | Red | 96. Anyone trying to form union sacked, jailed, or if a migrant, thrown out of the country | |
| Syria | Yes | Single government-controlled trade union. Long-term prisoners who belonged to engineers union. Employers in EPZs exempt from regulations on hiring and firing. | Red | ||
| Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates | No | Unions are banned in these countries, and collective bargaining or the right to strike are prohibited. | Red |
Freedom of Association League
Explanation and Key to Convention '87 Chart
'Countries league for Convention 87
As the 50th Anniversary of Convention 87 falls during the same year and the same month as the '98 World Cup, we decided to produce a Country league showing how countries in each continent fared in their respect to Freedom of Association (Con.87).
Convention 87?
The second column shows whether a country has ratified (signed up to) Convention 87.
Yellow/Red Cards
In order to make it topical we have awarded countries Yellow - Infringement, or Red - Severe infringement cards according to how they have fared during the last 4 years.
Foul
Where particularly bad incidents have occurred - usually relating to injuries/deaths of an individual person, this is recorded as a foul.
Improvements
Where a country has made significant improvements, or there is a general trend of improvements, we have noted this.
Choice of Countries
Note: In each continent we have chosen a maximum of six countries, as examples of how the continent has fared. The inclusion or
exclusion of a particular country does not mean that it has fared better/worse than a country which has been included/excluded.