Definitive Report - Report No 104, 1968

Case No 521 (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - Complaint date: 17-APR-67 - Closed

1. 28. The complaint of the Commercial, Technical and Allied Workers' Union (St. Vincent) is contained in two communications dated 17 April and 2 June 1967 respectively. In addition, the complainants have sent a copy of a letter containing additional information which the union sent to the employer. The text of all these communications has been passed on to the Government of the United Kingdom, which replied by a letter dated 5 December 1967.

A. A. The complainants' allegations

1. 29. The complainants allege mainly that the management of the St. Vincent Electricity Services offered promotion to one of its employees, on condition that he would resign from the complainant trade union. Nevertheless from the copy of the letter which the complainants sent to the employer-and of which they subsequently sent a copy to the I.L.O.-it appears that the management of the St. Vincent Electricity Services guaranteed that, when this offer of promotion was made, " no discrimination or interference with the worker's rights to freedom of association or the right to join or remain a member of a trade union was intended ". The complainants specify that in withdrawing the condition of resignation from trade union membership, which appeared in the original offer made to the person in question, the management of the St. Vincent Electricity Services demonstrated its wish to comply with the principles of " freedom of association, and of the right to organise and collective bargaining ".
2. 30. In its reply the Government of the United Kingdom states that since the employer has removed the cause for complaint and as the complainant trade union has declared itself satisfied, there would be no purpose in the Government's asking the Administrator of St. Vincent to submit his observations on this matter.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 31. Similarly, the Committee, considering that no useful purpose would be served by pursuing the matter, recommends the Governing Body to decide that it calls for no further examination on its part.