Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2018, published 108th ILC session (2019)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Equatorial Guinea (Ratification: 2001)

The Committee notes with deep concern that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments initially made in 2012.

Repetition

The Committee again recalls that it has been asking the Government for a number of years to: (i) amend section 5 of Act No. 12/1992, which provides that employees’ organizations may be occupational or sectoral – so that workers may, if they so desire, establish enterprise trade unions; (ii) amend section 10 of Act No. 12/1992, which provides that for an occupational association to obtain legal personality it must, inter alia, have a minimum of 50 employees – so as to reduce the number of workers required to a reasonable level; (iii) confirm that, as a result of a revision of the Fundamental Act in 1995 (Act No. 1 of 1995), the right to strike is recognized in public utilities and is exercised under the conditions laid down by law; (iv) provide information on the services deemed to be essential, and on how the minimum services to be ensured are determined, as provided for in section 37 of Act No. 12/1992; and (v) state whether public servants who do not exercise authority in the name of the State enjoy the right to strike (section 58 of the Fundamental Act).

The Committee again urges the Government to take the necessary steps to amend the legislation in order to bring it into full conformity with the provisions of the Convention and to send information in its next report on any measures taken or contemplated in this respect. The Committee expresses the strong hope that the Government will take all possible steps without delay to resume a constructive dialogue with the ILO.

Furthermore, the Committee had noted the comments of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on the application of the Convention and the persistent refusal to register various trade unions, namely the Trade Union of Workers of Equatorial Guinea (UST), the Independent Services Union (SIS), the Teachers’ Trade Union Association (ASD) and the Agricultural Workers’ Organization (OTC). The Committee recalls once again that the discretionary power of the competent authority to grant or reject a registration request is tantamount to the requirement for previous authorization, which is not compatible with Article 2 of the Convention (see the 1994 General Survey on freedom of association and collective bargaining, paragraph 74). Under these conditions, the Committee once again urges the Government to register without delay those trade unions which have fulfilled the legal requirements and to provide information in this respect in its next report.

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