Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Canada (Ratification: 1972)

The Committee notes the comments on the application of the Convention submitted by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), dated 19 July 2004, raising many points which were covered in its previous comments. The Committee requests the Government to provide its observations on these comments in its next report. The Committee further notes the oral information provided by the Government representative to the Conference Committee in 2004, as well as the discussion which took place therein.

The Committee recalls that, following the discussion at the last International Labour Conference, it was noted that several matters remained pending concerning, in particular, the exclusion from the scope of the labour relations legislation of workers in agriculture and horticulture, who are thereby deprived of full and complete protection in relation to the right to organize. The other matters relate to the specific reference in the law to the trade union recognized as the bargaining agent, as well as the trade union rights of teachers and education sector workers in certain provinces. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide detailed information in its next report in reply to its previous comments (see 2003 observation, 74th Session). Taking due note of the measures adopted by the federal Government, in collaboration with the ILO, to draw the attention of the governments of the various provinces to the Committee’s comments, it also reminds the Government of the possibility of having recourse to ILO technical assistance to facilitate the implementation of the Convention.