Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Albania (Ratification: 1957)

The Committee notes the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), received on 16 September 2020, denouncing the persistence of restrictions on the right of workers to establish trade unions through acts of retaliation, intimidation or even police abuse. Recalling that the 2019 ITUC observations had raised similar allegations, the Committee requests the Government to provide its comments on the 2019 and 2020 ITUC’s observations.

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

The Committee notes the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), received on 1 September 2019, which allege violations of trade union rights in practice. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.

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

Article 2 of the Convention. Right to organize of foreign workers. With reference to section 70 of the Act on Foreigners (No. 108 of 2013), providing that foreign workers with a permanent residence permit shall enjoy economic and social rights on the same terms as nationals, the Committee had requested the Government to take all necessary measures to ensure that all foreign workers, whether with a permanent or temporary residence permit or without residence permit, can exercise trade union rights. The Committee notes the Government’s position that articles 16(1), 46(1) and 50 of the Constitution of the Republic of Albania fully guarantee the rights of foreigners in this regard and that the Act on Foreigners provides foreigners with protection against any form of discrimination. The Committee requests the Government to confirm that all foreign workers, including those without a residence permit, may exercise trade union rights, and particularly the right to join organizations which defend their interests as workers. The Committee further requests the Government to provide information on foreign workers’ exercise of this right in practice, and otherwise to take any necessary measures to ensure they can exercise these rights under the Convention.

Article 3. Right of organizations to organize their activities and formulate their programmes. For a number of years, the Committee has been requesting the Government to take measures to: (i) amend section 197/7(4) of the Labour Code concerning sympathy strikes; and (ii) ensure that all public servants who do not exercise authority in the name of the State are able to exercise the right to strike.

The Committee notes with satisfaction that the Government informs that Act No. 136 of 5 December 2016 on some supplements and amendments to the Labour Code, amends article 197/7 to provide that sympathy strikes shall be lawful provided that it supports a legal strike.

The Committee further notes that the Government informs that Act No. 152/2013 on the civil servants provides for the right to join unions and professional associations and for the right to strike to civil servants except as otherwise provided by law. The Government indicates that in any case the right to strike is not permitted in relation to essential services of state activity. The Committee recalls in this regard that prohibitions to the right to strike, which curtail the right of unions to organize their activities to defend the interest of workers, may only be imposed in relation to public servants exercising authority in the name of the State, essential services in the strict sense of the term (the interruption of which would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the whole or part of the population) or in situations of acute national or local crisis (for a limited period of time and to the extent necessary to meet the requirements of the situation). The Committee observes that the list of essential services provided in article 35 of the Act on the civil servants includes services such as transport or public television, which may not be considered essential services in the strict sense of the term. The Committee requests the Government to indicate any further exceptions to the right to strike set out in the laws and to take any necessary measures to ensure that the legislation is amended in accordance with the above-mentioned principles.

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