Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Gambia (Ratification: 2000)

The Committee takes note of the supplementary information provided by the Government in light of the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 338th Session (June 2020). The Committee proceeded with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the supplementary information received from the Government this year, as well as on the basis of the information at its disposal in 2019.

Trade union rights and civil liberties. In its previous comments, the Committee had requested the Government to provide comments on the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation received on 1 September 2017, which contained allegations of arbitrary arrests of several leaders of the Gambian National Transport Control Association (GNTCA), the death of Mr Sheriff Diba, one of the arrested leaders, while in detention, and the ban imposed on the activities of the GNTCA. The Committee had regretted that the Government had not provided any concrete information on these grave allegations and their investigation and only indicated that the case involving the leaders of the said Association had been discontinued before the High Court of The Gambia and that the parties had been discharged. The Committee recalled the need to make every effort to investigate the alleged grave violations of trade union rights, with a view to apportioning responsibility and punishing the perpetrators. The Committee takes note of the Government’s indication that an investigation into the facts surrounding the death of Mr Sheriff Diba could be conducted by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC), an independent institution mandated to conduct research and investigations into human rights violations committed between July 1994 and January 2017 by the former regime. The Government further indicates that the GNTCA's matter was discharged by the High Court and that it is the responsibility of the GNTCA to re-engage the Government to review their case for consideration. The Committee expresses its firm hope that the death of Mr Diba as well as the alleged arbitrary arrests of several leaders of the GNTCA will be duly investigated by the TRRC without delay and requests the Government to provide updated information in this respect. It requests the Government to ensure that the GNTCA is informed about the necessary procedures to obtain a review of its case and also requests that the Government provide a copy of the mentioned High Court order.

Article 2 of the Convention. Right of employers and workers to establish and join organizations of their own choosing without previous authorization. Civil servants, prison officers and domestic workers. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted that the Labour Act of 2007 excludes civil servants, prison officers and domestic workers from its scope (sections 3(2)(a), (c) and (d), respectively). The Committee had also noted the Government’s statement that the Labour Act was in the process of being reviewed to allow these categories of workers to enjoy the rights established by the Convention. The Committee takes note of the Government’s indication that the review of the Labour Act is still ongoing, and its further indication that separate statutes and regulations cover civil servants and prison officers, and that new regulations could cover domestic workers. Recalling the need to take all necessary measures to ensure that civil servants, domestic workers and prison officers enjoy the right to establish and join organizations of their own choosing, the Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on any developments in this respect, including any revisions in the Labour Bill to extend the right to these three groups, and the specific terms of any other laws or regulations that ensure the right is accorded to each of the three groups.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.