Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Guyana (Ratification: 1967)

The Committee takes note of the Government’s report.

In its previous comments, the Committee recalled the necessity of amending the Public Utility Undertakings and Public Health Services Arbitration Act (Chapter 54:01, sections 3, 12 and 19) so that compulsory arbitration in respect of a strike, liable to a fine or two months’ imprisonment, may only be used with respect to strikes in essential services in the strict sense of the term. Noting the indication in the Government’s report that there has been no change in the application of the Convention, the Committee, once again, urges the Government to take the necessary measures in the near future to bring the legislation into conformity with the Convention, and to ensure that the powers conferred on the authorities to resort to compulsory arbitration to bring an end to a strike are limited, and apply only to strikes in services, the interruption of which would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the whole or part of the population. The Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report any progress made in this respect.