Effect given to the recommendations of the committee and the Governing Body - Report No 343, November 2006

Case No 2433 (Bahrain) - Complaint date: 13-JUN-05 - Closed

Effect given to the recommendations of the Committee and the Governing Body

1. 19. The Committee last examined this case, which concerns legislation prohibiting government employees from establishing trade unions of their own choosing and the refusal to grant trade union leave to trade union officers, at its March 2006 meeting. The Committee stated that it expected that the legislative amendment allowing public workers and employees to establish trade unions of their own choosing would be adopted in the very near future and requested the Government to inform it of developments in this respect. It also requested the Government to ensure that any new legislation adopted would enable workers in both the public and private sectors to establish more than one trade union per enterprise, and asked the Government to transmit a copy of Ministerial Decree No. 9/2005 on granting leave to union members in order to undertake trade union activities [see 340th Report, paras. 309-327].
2. 20. In its communication of 31 May 2006, the Government indicates that the draft amendment to article 10 of the Trade Union Act was currently before Parliament for approval; the said amendment would allow employees in the government sector to establish trade unions for the defence of their interests. Together with its communication, the Government attaches a translated copy of the draft amendment, as well as a translated copy of Ministerial Decree No. 9/2005 on granting leave to union members to undertake their trade union activities.
3. 21. The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government. It notes with interest that the draft amendment to article 10 of the Trade Union Act grants public workers and employees the right to establish trade unions of their own choosing, and also allows workers in both the public and private sectors to establish more than one union per enterprise. Further noting the Government’s indication that the draft amendment was currently before Parliament, the Committee reiterates its expectation that the said amendment would be adopted and promulgated in the very near future; it requests the Government to continue to keep it informed of developments in this respect. Finally, the Committee takes due note of the copy of Ministerial Decree No. 9/2005, which grants worker representatives leave for the exercise of their trade union activities without loss of pay or benefits.