Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Ratification: 1998)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

The Committee asks the Government to provide additional information on the following points.

  Article 1 of the Convention. Protection against anti-union discrimination. The Committee notes the information supplied in the Government’s report to the effect that workers have no protection against acts of anti-union discrimination. The Committee recalls that national legislation should contain specific provisions to protect workers against acts of anti-union discrimination both at the time of taking up employment and in the course of employment. Such provisions should be coupled with effective and expeditious procedures and with sufficiently dissuasive sanctions (see General Survey on freedom of association and collective bargaining, 1994, paragraphs 203 and 224). The Committee therefore asks the Government to take steps to amend its legislation to that end.

  Article 2. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the Trade Union Act guarantees protection against acts of interference in trade unions. The Committee asks the Government to send a copy of the above Act and to indicate the relevant provisions.

  Articles 3 and 4. The Committee asks the Government to send a copy of any law or legislative provisions concerning collective bargaining in the public sector (including the civil service) and the private sector. The Committee notes the information supplied in the Government’s report that 21 collective agreements have been registered and are functioning. The Committee asks the Government to provide additional information on the above agreements (categories and number of workers covered, institutions and enterprises covered, etc.).