Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Seychelles (Ratification: 1978)

The Committee had previously urged the Government to take all necessary steps to expedite the review of the Industrial Relations Act (IRA), in consultation with the social partners, with the view to amending the following provisions:

• section 9(1), so as to repeal the Registrar’s discretionary power to refuse registration;
• section 52(1)(a)(iv), so as to reduce the majority required to declare a strike to a simple majority;
• section 52(1)(a)(iii), so as to consider shortening the length of the cooling-off period;
• section 52(4), so as to ensure that the responsibility for declaring a strike illegal does not lie with the government authorities, but with an independent body which has the confidence of the parties involved; and
• section 56(1), which imposes penalties of up to six months of imprisonment for organizing or participating in a strike declared unlawful.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that a tripartite validation workshop to discuss the proposed amendments was held in October 2024 and that the stakeholders were invited to provide their comments or proposals by 31 December 2024. The Government indicates its intention to finalize the amendment report for submission to the Cabinet of Ministers by the end of 2025. In this regard, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the proposal to reduce the cooling-off period from 45 (as per section 52(1)(a)(iii)) to 30 days received no objection from the stakeholders. Recalling that the Committee has been requesting the Government to amend the IRA for a number of years, the Committee expects that the IRA will be amended without further delay, in consultation with the social partners and taking into account the Committee’s previous comments. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the developments in this regard and to transmit a copy of the amended legislation.