Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Liberia (Ratification: 1962)

The Committee notes with regret that for the eighth year in succession the Government has been unable to reply to its previous comments. It must therefore repeat its previous observation which read as follows:

The Committee notes that there has been no change in the legislative situation, which has been the subject of its comments for many years. The Committee recalls the need to amend or repeal Decree No. 12 of 30 June 1980 which prohibits strikes, section 4601-A of the Labour Practices Law which prohibits agricultural workers from joining industrial workers' organizations, and section 4102, subsections 10 and 11, of the Labour Practices Law which provides for the supervision of trade union elections by the Labour Practices Review Board. The Committee observes that these provisions are still in force and that they are contrary to Articles 2, 3, 5 and 10 of the Convention. Furthermore, the Committee recalls that the right to associate of workers in state enterprises and the public service is still not recognized in the national legislation, despite the Government's assurances in previous reports that the Civil Service Act was to be amended in order to give statutory effect to the right of the workers in this sector to establish and join organizations of their own choosing, in accordance with Article 2 of the Convention.

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