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Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Guatemala (RATIFICATION: 1952)

The Committee notes the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the joint observations of the Autonomous Popular Trade Union Movement and the Global Unions of Guatemala, both received on 1 September 2021, relating to matters examined in the present comment. The Committee also notes the Government’s replies to these observations. The Committee further notes the Government’s comments on the matters raised in 2020 by the national trade union federations on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the application of the Convention.

Follow-up by the Governing Body of the progress achieved in the implementation of the technical cooperation programme “Strengthening of the National Tripartite Committee on Labour Relations and Freedom of Association in Guatemala for the effective application of international labour standards”

The Committee recalls that: (i) on the basis of the Governing Body’s decision adopted in November 2018 (Decision GB.334/INS/9) to close the procedure of the complaint made under article 26 of the ILO Constitution alleging the violation of the Convention by the State of Guatemala, the Governing Body requested the Office to draw up a technical cooperation programme to promote progress in the application of the Road Map adopted in 2013 within the framework of the follow-up to the complaint; and (ii) at its 340th Session (October–November 2020), the Government Body welcomed the adoption of the technical cooperation programme, “Strengthening of the National Tripartite Committee on Labour Relations and Freedom of Association in Guatemala for the effective application of international labour standards” and requested the Office to report annually on its implementation at its October–November sessions for the duration of the three-year programme (Decision GB.340/INS/10).

The Committee notes the discussions at the 343rd Session of the Governing Body (October–November 2021) on the implementation of the technical cooperation programme and the decision of the Governing Body to note the information provided by the Office on this subject (Decision GB.343/INS/7)

Trade union rights and civil liberties. The Committee regrets to note that it has been examining since 2005 allegations of serious acts of violence against trade union leaders and members, including numerous murders and the related situation of impunity. The Committee also notes that the Committee on Freedom of Association examined at its session in October 2021 Case No. 2609, which brings together denunciations of acts of anti-union violence, including a very high number of murders of members of the trade union movement between 2004 and 2021 (see 396th Report, October 2021, Case No. 2609, paragraphs 307–348).

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the situation with regard to the investigations and prosecutions relating to the murders of 96 members of the trade union movement and its indications that: (i) 28 verdicts have so far been handed down, including 22 convictions (in relation to 19 murders, with three cases giving rise to two convictions each), five charges have been set aside and one security and remedial measure has been adopted; (ii) seven arrest warrants are still pending; (iii) three cases are at the stage of public hearings and trials; (iv) the criminal prosecutions lapsed in six cases in which the accused died; and (v) the other cases are still at the investigation stage. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that progress was reported in 2020 in 13 cases that are under investigation. The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government on the security measures taken for members of the trade union movement who are at risk, in the context of which: (i) 55 risk analyses were carried out for members of the trade union movement during the course of 2020, with one personal security measure being provided and 47 perimeter security measures; and (ii) between 1 June and 31 August 2021, 19 risk analyses were carried out for members of the trade union movement, with 15 perimeter security measures being adopted.

The Committee also notes that the Government refers to its replies provided in the context of Case No. 2609. The Committee takes due note in this regard of the detailed information provided by the Government on the active role played by the National Tripartite Committee on Labour Relations and Freedom of Association (hereinafter the National Tripartite Committee) and its Subcommittee on the Implementation of the Road Map in monitoring the response of the criminal justice system to acts of anti-union violence. The Committee takes special note in this respect of the high-level meetings held by the National Tripartite Committee with the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the plenary of the Supreme Court, and that the Subcommittee on the Implementation of the Road Map specifically requested the competent authorities to ensure: (i) the exhaustive investigation of all cases of murders of members of the trade union movement, with emphasis on a series of 36 cases of special relevance; (ii) the reactivation of the Technical Trade Union Forum in the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the Standing Technical Trade Union Forum for Comprehensive Protection in the Ministry of the Interior; (iii) the facilitation by the judicial authorities of current prosecutions for murders of members of the trade union movement; (iv) the assignment of a criminal analysis unit to the Special Prosecutor’s Unit for Crimes against Trade Unionists; and (v) the strengthening of collaboration between the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the Ministry of the Interior in cases of requests for protection measures by members of the trade union movement.

The Committee takes due note of this information. It also observes that, despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, two new convictions were handed down in 2021 in relation to murders of members of the trade union movement. At the same time, the Committee notes with deep concern : (i) the Government’s indications that the Office of the Public Prosecutor recorded six new cases of murders of members of the trade union movement in 2020; and (ii) the observations of the national trade union confederations and the ITUC denouncing the murder on 7 May 2021 of Ms Cinthia del Carmen Pineda Estrada, a trade union leader of the Education Workers’ Union of Guatemala (STEG), as well as other serious acts of anti-union violence committed in 2020 and 2021. While noting the Government’s replies in relation to the investigations carried out into these crimes, the Committee once again recalls that trade union rights can only be exercised in a climate free from violence, intimidation and threats of any kind against trade unionists and that it is for governments to ensure that this principle is respected.

In light of the above, while taking due note of the action that the Government is continuing to take, the results reported and the difficulties involved in shedding light on the oldest murder cases, the Committee once again expresses deep concern at the allegations of further murders and other acts of anti-union violence committed in 2021 and the persistence of a high level of impunity, as there have still been no convictions for the great majority of the numerous recorded murders of members of the trade union movement. Emphasizing the importance of the initiatives called for by the Subcommittee on the Implementation of the Road Map, the Committee once again urges the Government to continue to take and intensify as a matter of urgency all the necessary measures to: (i) investigate all acts of violence against trade union leaders and members with a view to determining responsibilities and punishing the perpetrators and instigators of these acts, taking the trade union activities of the victims fully into account in the investigations; and (ii) provide prompt and effective protection for all trade union leaders and members who are at risk in order to prevent any further acts of anti-union violence. With reference to the specific action required in this regard, the Committee refers to the recommendations made by the Committee on Freedom of Association in Case No. 2609.

Legislative issues

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. The Committee recalls that for many years it has been requesting the Government to take measures to:

• -amend section 215(c) of the Labour Code, which requires a membership of “50 per cent plus one” of the workers in the sector to establish a sectoral trade union;
• -amend sections 220 and 223 of the Labour Code, which establish the requirement to be of Guatemalan origin and to work in the relevant enterprise or economic activity to be eligible for election as a trade union leader;
• -amend section 241 of the Labour Code, under the terms of which strikes have to be called by a majority of the workers and not by a majority of those casting votes;
• -amend section 4(d), (e) and (g) of Decree No. 71-86, as amended by Legislative Decree No. 35-96 of 27 March 1996, which provides for the possibility of imposing compulsory arbitration in non-essential services and establishes other obstacles to the right to strike;
• -amend sections 390(2) and 430 of the Penal Code and Decree No. 71-86, which establish labour, civil and criminal penalties in the event of a strike by public officials or workers in certain enterprises; and
• -ensure that the various categories of public sector workers (hired under item 029 and other items of the budget) enjoy the guarantees afforded by the Convention.

The Committee also recalls that in its comments in 2018, 2019 and 2020 it noted that: (i) the tripartite agreement concluded in February 2018 on the amendments sought in four of the six points indicated above (relating to the requirements to be elected as a trade union leader, compulsory arbitration in non-essential services, penalties applicable in the event of a strike, and the application of the guarantees of the Convention to various categories of public sector workers); (ii) the submission on 7 March 2019 of this tripartite agreement to the Labour Commission of the Congress of the Republic so that the examination of Bill No. 5199 could be set aside, as it did not have the support of the social partners, and instead a legislative reform could be adopted based on tripartite agreement; and (iii) the tripartite agreement concluded in August 2018 on the principles that should guide reforms on two of the other points in the above list relating, on the one hand, to the requirements for the establishment and operation of sectoral unions and, on the other, the conditions for strike ballots.

The Committee notes that in its latest report the Government confines itself to: (i) indicating that the legislative amendments requested by the Committee form part of the work plan of the National Tripartite Committee and its legislative subcommittee; (ii) recalling once again that Bill No. 5199, designed to respond to the Committee’s observations, had been submitted to the Congress of the Republic on 27 October 2016, but that the social partners called for it to be set aside and the discussion was to continue with a view to reaching consensus on the reforms to be adopted; (iii) indicating that, at the meeting on 22 April 2021 of the National Tripartite Committee, the Government submitted a draft legislative initiative based on the tripartite agreements on the four points referred to above covered by a full tripartite agreement, which had been submitted to the Congress of the Republic on 7 March 2018, with a full discussion on the reasoning given for the draft legislative initiative.

While noting the information provided by the Government, the Committee observes with deep concern the lack of specific progress in bringing the legislation into conformity with the Convention, despite the repeated requests by the various ILO supervisory bodies and the Governing Body and the serious impact of the legislative provisions concerned on the effective exercise of freedom of association. In this regard, the Committee recalls that in its previous comments it noted with concern the indications by the trade union organizations that the combination of: (i) the fact that it is impossible to create sectoral unions as a result of the requirements of section 215(c); and (ii) that it is impossible in small enterprises, which account for almost all companies in Guatemala, to assemble the 20 workers required by section 216 of the Labour Code for the establishment of a union, mean that the great majority of workers in the country do not have access to the right to join unions. While emphasizing the importance of reforms of labour legislation being the subject of consultation with the social partners and, in so far as possible, giving rise to tripartite consensus, the Committee emphasizes that, in the last resort, it is the responsibility of the Government to take the necessary decisions to ensure compliance with the international commitments assumed by the State through the ratification of international labour Conventions. The Committee therefore urges the Government to take the necessary measures without delay to bring the national legislation into conformity with the Convention. The Committee hopes to receive specific information in the near future on the tangible progress achieved in this regard.

Application of the Convention in practice

Registration of trade unions. In its previous comments, the Committee once again invited the Government and the trade unions to take major steps forward in their dialogue on facilitating the process of trade union registration. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it is strengthening the public register of trade unions of the General Directorate of Labour through the development of an information technology tool that will facilitate the processes. The Committee also notes from document GB.343/INS/7, submitted to the Governing Body at its session in October-November 2021, that: (i) the Office is providing assistance for the project for the strengthening of the public register of trade unions; (ii) according to the information provided by the Government, of the 52 applications for registration received in 2020 by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, 28 resulted in registrations, 16 were rejected and eight are still being processed; and (iii) of the 39 applications received in 2021 between 1 January and 16 September, 12 resulted in registrations, nine were rejected and 18 are still being processed. Noting from the information provided by the Government that more than one third of the applications for registration of trade unions reviewed in the past two years have been rejected and a significant number of applications are still being processed several months after their submission, the Committee once again encourages the Government, with the technical assistance of the Office and in dialogue with the national representative organizations, to make progress in facilitating the process of trade union registration.

Awareness-raising campaign on freedom of association and collective bargaining. The Committee recalls that this campaign is one of the commitments made by the Government through the Road Map adopted in 2013. In its previous comments, the Committee urged the Government, with the support of the social partners and the technical cooperation programme prepared by the Office, to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the awareness-raising campaign is given real visibility in the national mass media. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it is awaiting the approval of the Multiannual Operations Programme of the European Union programme on support for decent employment in Guatemala, which includes specific action to address the subjects of freedom of association and collective bargaining within the framework of the corresponding ILO Conventions. While noting that the action taken in response to the emergencies resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic may have made it difficult to take action in this regard, the Committee regrets the lack of specific initiatives for the dissemination of the awareness-raising campaign. The Committee therefore once again urges the Government to take measures for the effective dissemination of the awareness-raising campaign on freedom of association and collective bargaining in the national mass media.

Regretting, despite the existence of the National Tripartite Committee and the technical assistance provided by the Office, the absence of specific progress over the past three years, the Committee urges the Government to take all the necessary measures to resolve, in the near future, the serious violations of the Convention that have been noted for many years.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.