Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2021, published 110th ILC session (2022)

Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) - Algeria (Ratification: 1962)

The Committee notes the observations, received on 29 March 2021 of the General and Autonomous Confederation of Workers in Algeria (CGATA) on the application of the Convention, as well as the Government’s response.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination and interference. The Committee recalls having noted, in its previous comments, the observations regularly provided by the national and international trade union organizations concerning acts of anti-union discrimination and interference against autonomous trade unions and their leaders. This issue is addressed regularly by the Committee on the Application of Standards of the International Labour Conference (hereinafter the Conference Committee) on the occasion of their discussion on the application of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), which requested the Government to provide information on the situation of trade union leaders and members whose anti-union dismissal had been reported (the latest discussion being in June 2019). The Committee also recalls that several cases concerning harassment and dismissal of trade union leaders and members have been brought before the Committee on Freedom of Association mentioned in the observations of the trade union organizations. Lastly, the Committee recalled that the situation of the dismissed trade unionists and the cases of interference was the subject of the conclusions and recommendations of a high level mission that visited Algiers in May 2019, within the framework of the recommendations made by the Conference Committee.

In its previous comments, noting the observations provided between 2017 and 2019 by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Confederation of Productive Workers (COSYFOP), the Committee noted with concern the allegations of anti-union discrimination and interference against COSYFOP and affiliated trade union organizations. The Committee recalls that the observations of COSYFOP alleged the following discrimination and interference measures: (i) harassment of Mr Raouf Mellal, the president of COSYFOP, who was regularly the subject of intimidation and abusive detention and was subjected to physical violence during his detention; (ii) the dismissal of leaders and members of the National Union of Workers of BATIMETAL-COSYFOP, who were only reinstated by the enterprise after they had left the union and the establishment of a union by anti-union interference; (iii) threats of dismissal and criminal prosecution against members of the Workers’ Union of the Commission for Electricity and Gas Regulation (STCREG); (iv) the dismissal of all the leaders of the National Union of the Higher Institute of Management and the refusal of the Labour Inspectorate to enforce the provisions for the protection of trade union representatives under the law; and (v) the circular of the Ministry of Labour inciting all the Social Solidarity Funds to dismiss all the members of the National Federation of Workers of the Social Security Funds, affiliated to COSYFOP, which led to the judicial harassment and dismissal of the president of the Federation, who had resigned from COSYFOP shortly after being reinstated in January 2020. Given the seriousness of these allegations, the Committee requested that the competent authorities conduct the necessary investigations into the alleged acts.

The Committee notes that, in response, the Government indicates that Mr Mellal and other alleged leaders of COSYFOP fraudulently use this registered trade union organization without having complied with the terms for renewing the board as required by law. The Government states that it asked the leaders in question to rectify the situation and informed the social security funds of this infringement. The Government recalls in general that trade union leaders are provided adequate protection through legal provisions, which are enforced by a labour inspection service. The Committee notes that the Government does not provide information in response to the specific allegations of discrimination and interference recalled above. The Committee urges the Government to provide its comments on the allegations of anti-union discrimination and interference against members of BATIMETAL-COSYFOP, STCREG, the National Union of the Higher Institute of Management and the National Federation of Workers of the Social Security Funds. The Committee also expects that, as required by the Convention, the Government ensures that the leaders and members of these trade union organizations are provided adequate protection against any acts of anti-union discrimination and interference by the employers and administrative authorities concerned.

In its previous comments, the Committee also noted that observations of the Autonomous National Union of Electricity and Gas Workers (SNATEG) denouncing the mass dismissal of its members by an enterprise in the energy sector and interference in the activities of the union. The Government provided information on the situation of the dismissed trade unionists, recently reporting measures for the reinstatement of most of the workers concerned, situations that are in the process of being resolved and dismissals that have been confirmed on the grounds of serious faults in the case of certain workers. The Committee notes that the Committee on Freedom of Association, which has been dealing with the complaint of SNATEG since 2016, once again issued an opinion on the merits of the case in November 2021. The Committee on Freedom of Association indicated in this regard that it had contradictory information on the issue of the dismissal of certain representatives of SNATEG, given reference to the different legal decisions of the complainant organization and the Government. The Committee notes with concern the conclusion of the Committee on Freedom of Association noting an especially large number of leaders and representatives of SNATEG who have been dismissed, in a context of conflict and harassment against them [see 393rd report, November 2021, case No. 3210].  The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to follow up on the recommendations of the Committee on Freedom of Association and in particular those requesting details on the situation of the leaders of SNATEG who have still not been reinstated.

Revision of the legislation. With regard to the need to provide adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination, the Committee previously noted the concerns expressed by the high level mission concerning delays in complying with court rulings ordering the reinstatement of trade union leaders, which have still not been given effect, and the excessive use of judicial action against trade unions and their members by certain enterprises and authorities. The Committee also noted that the high level mission identified difficulties in the application of Article 1 of the Convention to the founding members of unions. Under the current legislation and procedures, it would be possible for an employer to dismiss the founding members of a union during the period when it was applying for registration, which in practice can take several years, without the latter benefiting from the protection afforded by the legislation against anti-union discrimination. The Committee therefore requested the Government to take, in consultation with the social partners, the necessary measures to ensure adequate protection to trade union leaders and members during the registration period of the established trade union.

The Committee notes that the Government refers to a bill amending and supplementing Act No. 90-14, which will soon be examined by the National Popular Assembly. According to the Government, the proposed amendments are part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Conference Committee concerning sections 4, 6 and 56 of Act No. 90-14. This bill provides for: (i) the participation of trade unions in legal action as a civil party; (ii) the possibility for the labour inspector covering the relevant area to draw up a statement on refusal to comply with an order, containing the main points that they have been able to gather and which confirm that the dismissal or removal of a worker is linked to trade union activity; and (iii) the tightening of criminal penalties to ensure they are effective and dissuasive in cases of obstruction to the exercise of trade union rights and a breach of the protection of trade union representatives.

According to the Government, this bill has been the subject of broad consultation with the social partners, as well as with the Office. The Government also indicates that it has availed itself of the technical assistance of the Office to strengthen the capacities of the Labour Inspectorate in methods and techniques for identifying anti-union acts, particularly measures of anti-union discrimination in employment.

Noting this information, which is in keeping with the previous recommendations, the Committee expresses the hope that the Government will continue its efforts, in consultation with the social partners, in the overall examination of the legal framework and practice concerning protection against anti-union discrimination and interference. This examination should include the issue of protection of trade union leaders and members during the period when the union that has been established is applying for registration. The Committee requests the Government to continue reporting progress in this regard and to provide a copy of the amendment to Act No.90-14, once it has been adopted.

Article 4. Appointment to the Joint Council of the Civil Service and the National Arbitration Commission. The Committee notes the observations of the CGATA, contesting the Government’s registration of worker representatives of the Joint Council of the Civil Service and the National Arbitration Commission. The CGATA denounces, in particular, the registration of a trade union established by government interference and its probable impact on the work of the bodies in question. In its reply, the Government indicates that the appointments to the Joint Council of the Civil Service and the renewal of the mandate of the National Arbitration Commission were carried out on the basis of the representativity of the two trade unions organizations in question. In this regard, the Committee wishes to recall that the bodies called on to resolve grievances should be independent and should enjoy the confidence of the parties.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes the statistics provided on the number of collective agreements and accords registered by the labour inspectorate between 2016 and 2020, as well as the number of workers covered. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing the statistics available concerning the number of collective agreements and accords registered and, as far as possible, to specify the sectors and number of workers covered.