Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Bulgaria (Ratification: 1959)

The Committee notes the comments made by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in 2013 and requests the Government to provide its observations thereon.

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation.

Article 3 of the Convention. Right of workers’ organizations to organize their administration and activities and to formulate their programmes. The Committee recalls that for a number of years it has been raising the need to amend the following provisions: (1) section 11(2) of the Collective Labour Disputes Settlement Act, which provides that the decision to call a strike shall be taken by a simple majority of the workers in the enterprise or the unit concerned; (2) section 51 of the Railway Transport Act of 2000, which provides that, where industrial action is taken under the Act the workers and employers must provide the population with satisfactory transport services corresponding to no less than 50 per cent of the volume of transportation that was provided before the strike; and (3) section 47 of the Civil Servant Act, which restricts the right to strike of public civil servants, other than those engaged in the administration of the State.

The Committee had noted that the Government had provided information about certain legislative proposals relating to the amendments requested.

The Committee hopes once again that due account will be taken of its comments in the process of legislative amendments. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any development in this respect in its next report. It reminds the Government that it may avail itself of the technical assistance of the Office if it so wishes.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.