Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Denmark (Ratification: 1951)

The Committee recalls that in several of its previous observations, it requested the Government to indicate the measures taken to ensure that Danish trade unions may represent all their members – residents and non-residents employed on ships sailing under the Danish flag – without any interference from the public authorities, in accordance with Articles 3 and 10 of the Convention and whether, in particular, these unions may freely represent seafarers who are not Danish residents in respect of their individual grievances. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the Government, in its report, indicates that the Danish International Ships Register (DIS) agreement states that seafarers not resident in Denmark working on board DIS ships have the right to be members of several trade unions (i.e. both a Danish trade union, and a trade union in their home country). This agreement enables the seafarers’ contracting parties to represent a seafarer who is not domiciled in Denmark or a foreign trade union in matters relating to the Danish Legislation and assist seafarers without a Danish residence in relation to the Danish public authorities. The Committee requests the Government to include in its next report a copy of the DIS agreement.

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