Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) - Comoros (Ratification: 1978)

Article 2 of the Convention. Anti-union discrimination. The Committee notes that the Workers’ Confederation of Comoros (CTC) reports numerous dismissals of trade union members and leaders in the para-public and port sectors in a communication dated 31 August 2011. The Committee requests the Government to provide its observations in this respect.

Article 4. Right of collective bargaining. The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. For several years, the Committee has been requesting the Government to take measures to promote collective bargaining in the public and private sectors. The Committee had previously noted the Government’s expression of regret that there had not been substantial progress in this respect and its reiterated desire to receive technical assistance to help the partners concerned gain a better understanding of the socio-economic importance of collective bargaining. The Committee had noted in this respect the comments made by the Employers’ Organization of Comoros (OPACO), according to which collective agreements in the pharmaceutical and bakeries sectors, which had been under negotiation for several years, had still not been concluded and that negotiations in the press sector were currently under way. The Committee had noted with regret that, according to OPACO, the Government had not taken any measures to promote collective bargaining in either the public or the private sectors.

The Committee once again regrets the absence of progress in the collective bargaining that is being undertaken and expresses the firm hope that the negotiations will be completed in the near future. The Committee notes that, according to the CTC, there has still not been progress in collective bargaining and that it is not structured and has no framework at any level. The Committee once again expresses the firm hope that ILO technical assistance will be provided in the very near future and it requests the Government to take all the necessary measures to promote collective bargaining in both the private and the public sectors. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in this respect.