Compilation of decisions of the Committee on Freedom of Association

Trade union and employers organizations rights and civil liberties2

Freedom of opinion and expression

Publications of a political character

1. When issuing their publications, trade union organizations should have regard, in the interests of the development of the trade union movement, to the principles enunciated by the International Labour Conference at its 35th Session (1952) for the protection of the freedom and independence of the trade union movement and the safeguarding of its fundamental task, which is to ensure the social and economic well-being of all workers.

1. In a case in which a trade union newspaper, in its allusions and accusations against the government, seemed to have exceeded the admissible limits of controversy, the Committee pointed out that trade union publications should refrain from extravagance of language. The primary role of publications of this type should be to deal with matters essentially relating to the defence and furtherance of the interests of the unions members in particular and with labour questions in general. The Committee, nevertheless, recognized that it is difficult to draw a clear distinction between what is political and what is strictly trade union in character. It pointed out that these two notions overlap, and it is inevitable and sometimes normal for trade union publications to take a stand on questions having political aspects, as well as on strictly economic or social questions.

1. In a case where the distribution of all the publications of a trade union organization was prohibited, the Committee suggested that the order in question be re-examined in the light of the principle that trade union organizations should have the right to distribute the publications in which their programme is formulated, and so as to distinguish between those trade union publications which deal with problems normally regarded as falling directly or indirectly within the competence of trade unions and those which are obviously political or anti-national in character.