Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Saint Lucia (Ratification: 1980)

The Committee notes the observations of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) received on 1 September 2016 which are of a general nature.

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments.

Article 2 of the Convention. Right of workers and employers, without distinction whatsoever, to establish and to join organizations. For several years, noting that the “protective services” – which include the fire services and prison officers – were excluded from the Registration, Status and Recognition of Trade Unions and Employers’ Organizations Act, 1999, the Committee had requested the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure the right to organize to fire service personnel and prison staff. The Committee notes that section 325 of the Labour Act 2006 also excludes “protective services” (which according to section 2 of the Act include the fire service and the correctional services) from the scope of application of the provisions which are dealing with the right to organize in the new legislation. Noting that the Government indicates in its report that the issue of the right to organize fire service personnel and prison staff would be raised with the Minister of Labour, and recalling previous indications that the workers of these services benefit in practice from this right, the Committee once again requests the Government to indicate the manner in which service personnel and prison staff are assured the organizational rights provided in the Convention.

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

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