Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) - Yemen (Ratification: 1969)

The Committee notes with concern that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments.

Repetition

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. Protection against anti-union interference. The Committee recalls that, for a number of years, it has been requesting the Government to ensure that effective and sufficiently dissuasive sanctions that guarantee the protection of workers’ organizations against acts of interference by employers or their organizations in trade union activities are expressly provided for in the national legislation. The Committee notes that the Government indicates once again that protection against interference for trade union activities is provided under the Labour Code and that it will seek to provide further legal protection when amending the Act on Trade Unions (ATU) in accordance with the Convention. The Committee once again requests the Government to indicate the progress made in this respect, and to provide copies of the amended legislative texts aimed at ensuring full respect for the rights enshrined in the Convention, as soon as they have been adopted.

Article 4. Refusal to register a collective agreement on the basis of consideration of “economic interests of the country”. The Committee recalls that it had previously requested the Government to take the necessary measures to amend sections 32(6) and 34(2) of the Labour Code so as to ensure that refusal to register a collective agreement is only possible due to a procedural flaw or because it does not conform to the minimum standards laid down by the labour legislation, and not on the basis of consideration of “the economic interests of the country”. While the Committee had previously noted that the Government had adopted the Committee’s proposal with regard to the amendment of the abovementioned section of the Labour Code, the Committee notes the Government’s new indication that it will study the Committee’s views in this respect. The Committee requests once again the Government to take the necessary measures to bring sections 32(6) and 34(2) of the Labour Code into conformity with the Convention.

Articles 4 and 6. Right to collective bargaining of public servants not engaged in the administration of the State. The Committee once again requests the Government to indicate the legal provisions which guarantee the right to collective bargaining of public servants not engaged in the administration of the State.

While acknowledging the complexity of the situation prevailing on the ground due to the presence of armed groups and armed conflict in the country, the Committee trusts that the Government will make all efforts to bring its law and practice into conformity with the Convention.

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