Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Czechia (Ratification: 1996)

1. The Committee has noted with interest the information provided by the Government in its first reports on the application of the Convention. It would be grateful if the Government would supply, with its next report, copies of the legislation in force in the following fields: updated and consolidated text of the Criminal Code; the laws governing the press and assemblies, meetings and demonstrations; the law governing political parties; the law governing the civil service; and any provisions governing labour discipline in merchant shipping. With reference to its 1998 direct request under Convention No. 87, the Committee requests the Government, in the light of the elaboration of new legislation concerning strikes, to supply information on any provisions restricting the right to strike and which may be enforced with sanctions involving an obligation to work.

2. The Committee has noted Government Decree No. 284 of 1992 concerning measures of economic mobilization which shall be applied to meet the needs of the armed forces and the population in order to increase the State's defensive capacity and also in various other situations of crisis (such as natural calamity, ecological catastrophe, etc.). It has noted that "economic mobilization subjects" (which may include corporate and natural persons) shall set up defence units and shall propose a certain number of workers and officials for such units (sections 1(2) and 8(1) and (2)). According to section 4(2) of the Decree, construction projects in respect of the mobilization infrastructure may be used not only in the eventual situation of expected threat, but also in normal conditions. The Committee asks the Government to indicate, in its next report, on what terms workers and officials proposed for such units may be called upon to work there, and to supply copies of any provisions governing this matter, including copies of any rules or regulations made under the provisions of Decree No. 284, so as to enable the Committee to ascertain the observance of Article 1(b) of the Convention. Please also provide information on the application of the abovementioned Decree in practice.