Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Egypt (Ratification: 1957)

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

In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to amend section 19(f) of Act No. 12 of 1995 so that all workers are able to join more than one organization if they so wish, in order to be able to defend their occupational interests if they are engaged in more than one occupation. The Government states generally in response that Act No. 35 of 1976 and Act No. 12 of 1995 were promulgated to give effect to the will and aspirations of the workers. More specifically, the Government indicates that permitting a worker to join more than one union would affect the unity and strength of the trade union movement. The Committee recalls that pursuant to Article 2 of the Convention, workers are to have the right to join organizations of their own choosing, without previous authorization. In the view of the Committee, the issue touches not on trade union unity, but rather on the importance of ensuring that workers who hold more than one job are able to join a union to defend their occupational interests in each job category or occupation. The Committee requests the Government to consider amending the legislation to enable workers to join more than one organization if they so wish, to defend their occupational interests if they are engaged in more than one occupation.