Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Sri Lanka (Ratification: 1995)

The Committee notes the comments made by the Confederation of Public Service Independent Trade Unions (COPSITU) dated 17 May 2005 and by the World Confederation of Labour (WCL) dated 10 August 2005 and those made by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) dated 31 August 2005. These comments concern, among other things, the restrictions imposed on public service staff with regard to the right to form federations and confederations and to join such organizations, the notion of essential services, organization in export processing zones (EPZs) and various cases of anti-union discrimination in practice (intimidation, arbitrary dismissal, police violence during protests, etc.).

The Committee takes note of the Government’s response to the comments made by the WCL with regard to the right to organize in EPZs. The Committee requests the Government to transmit its observations concerning the comments made by the COPSITU and the ICFTU. The Committee intends to examine this information, as well as the questions raised in its previous direct request (see direct request, 2004, 75th Session), within the framework of the regular supervisory cycle in 2006.